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THE    AMBASSADOR 


"  The  earth  !  where  is  my  earth  ?     Let  me  look  on  it 

For  I  was  made  of  it." 
•'  The  stones  of  it  are  the  place  of  sapphires,  and  it  hath  dust  of 
gold." 

-^ 

[First  produced  at  the  St.  James's  Theatre,  London,  on 
June  2,  i8g8.'\ 


THE    AMBASSADOR 

A  COMEDT  IN  FOUR  ACTS 

BY 

JOHN    OLIVER    HOBBES 


« 


SECOND    EDITION 


NEW   YORK 
FREDERICK   A.    STOKES   COMPANY 

PUBLISHERS 


Copyright,  1898, 
By  Frederick  A.  Stokes  Company. 


All  rights  reserved. 


John  Wilson  and  Son,  Cambridge,  U.S.A. 


PREFACE 

Once  I  found  a  speech  in  prose  —  prose  so  subtly 
balanced,  harmonious,  and  interesting  that  it  seemed, 
on  paper,  a  song.  But  no  actor  or  actress,  though 
they  spoke  with  the  voice  of  angels,  could  make  it,  on 
the  stage,  even  tolerable.  It  was  too  long  in  one  bar, 
and  too  short  in  another;  it  dragged,  it  jumped,  it 
vexed  the  ear  and  stilled  the  brain ;  common  rant 
would  have  been  more  vivacious :  a  column  recited 
from  the  dictionary  could  not  have  been  so  dull. 
Yet  the  speech  is  nevertheless  fine  stuff:  it  is  never- 
theless interesting  in  substance :  it  has  imagination : 
it  has  charm.  What,  then,  was  lacking  ?  Emotion 
in  the  tone^  and,  on  the  part  of  the  writer,  considera- 
tion for  the  speaking  voice.  Stage  dialogue  may 
have  or  may  not  have  many  qualities,  but  it  must  be 
emotional.  It  rests  primarily  on  feeling.  Wit,  phi- 
losophy, moral  truths,  poetic  language  —  all  these 
count  as  nothing  unless  there  is  feeling  of  an  obvious, 
ordinary  kind.  Great  passions  and  the  "  enormous  " 
are,  on  the  other  hand,  beyond  spectacular  representa- 
tion.    Love  is  probably  the  sole  great  passion  which 


vi  PREFACE 

an  audience  of  average  men  and  women  can  endure 
for  more  than  one  act  and  to  a  tragic  issue.  Large 
exhibitions  of  ambition,  jealousy,  avarice,  revenge, 
pride,  fear,  and  the  like,  please  but  few  minds.  The 
more  emotions  conveyed,  or  hinted  at,  the  better,  no 
doubt,  yet  not  one  of  them,  with  the  solitary  excep- 
tion already  named,  should  be  raised  unduly  to  the 
depression  of  the  others.  The  theatre  is  a  place  of 
relaxation.  When  the  majority  of  pleasure-seekers 
find  a  piece  tedious,  it  is  a  failure  beyond  question  as 
a  play.  When  the  majority  find  a  piece  agreeable  to 
their  taste,  it  must  have  fulfilled,  at  all  events,  one 
vital  condition  of  its  existence  as  a  piece.  It  is  at 
least  an  entertainment.  The  vulgar,  much-abused 
popular  melodrama  has  this  unfailing  characteristic  — 
it  will  hold,  in  the  face  of  every  aesthetic  objection, 
your  cheerful  attention. 

In  a  comedy,  life  must  be  presented  in  a  deliber- 
ately artificial  way  —  that  is  to  say,  presented  under 
strictly  artificial  conditions.  No  one,  for  instance, 
in  looking  at  a  portrait  is  asked  to  mistake  it  for  a 
wax  model  or  a  real  personage.  In  admiring  a 
twelve-inch  landscape  we  do  not  blame  the  artist 
because  we  are  unable  to  scamper,  in  reality,  over  his 
fields  or  pluck  the  lilacs  in  his  garden.  We  go  to 
him   neither  for  a  deception   nor  an  imitation  —  but 


PREFACE  vii 

for  an  idea,  an  illustration,  or  a  statement.  Play-writing 
and  novel-writing  may  be  compared  in  more  senses 
than  one  to  the  art  of  landscape  painting.  To  see 
the  sun  set  once  is  not  enough,  to  see  once  the  tide 
come  in  is  not  enough,  to  have  risen  once,  in  the 
country,  to  watch  the  dawn  of  day  is  not  enough. 
One  must  be  so  intimate  with  Nature  that  one  could 
not  —  even  if  one  tried  —  present  her,  or  any  aspect 
of  her,  conventionally.  One  knows  nothing  unless 
one  knows  her  infinite  variety.  Describe  humbly 
what  you  see,  and  you  cannot  go  wrong ;  describe 
what  others  have  been  taught  to  see,  and  you  can 
never,  by  any  possibility,  be  right.  The  instinct  of 
a  close  student  of  life  is  always  to  reject  the 
plausible.  It  is  by  this  ready  acceptance  of  the 
plausible  that  human  beings  are  so  often,  and 
unnecessary,  disillusioned.  No  two  creatures  are 
precisely,  or  even  within  any  real  degree  of  approx- 
imation, the  same  :  each  soul  has  its  own  individuality. 
There  may  be  schools  of  people  just  as  there  are 
schools  of  thought,  but  Types  —  the  typical  stage 
diplomatist,  the  typical  young  girl,  the  typical  widow, 
the  typical  stage  foreigner,  the  Type,  in  fact,  of  any 
sort  —  are  not  to  be  found  in  Almighty  God's  creation 
or  man's  society.  They  are  nothing  in  the  world, 
and  there  is  no  speculation  in  their  eyes. 


viii  PREFACE 

Let  me  beg  that  the  persons  in  The  Embassador  be 
judged  by  their  actions  and  not  by  the  hasty  estimates 
passed  upon  them  either  by  themselves  or  the  other 
characters  in  the  comedy. 

My  permanent  gratitude  and  friendship  are  due  to 
Mr.  George  Alexander  for  the  distinguished  art  he 
bestowed  upon  his  rendering  of  the  title-role,  for  the 
support,  interest,  and  kindness  he  gave  so  generously 
from  the  first  reading  of  the  play,  through  the  many 
anxieties  of  rehearsing,  through  the  yet  greater  anxiety 
of  its  first  production. 


PERSONS    OF  THE    PLAY 


Lord  St.  Orbyn,  British  Ambassador  at  Madrid. 

Sir    William    Beauvedere,   Second   Attache  to  the  British 

Embassy  at  Berlin. 
Vivian  Beauvedere,  his  step-brother. 
Major  Hugo  Lascelles. 
Sir  Charles  de  Lorme,  G.C.S.I. 
Lord  Lavensthorpe. 

Lady  Beauvedere,  step-mother  to  Sir  William  Beauvedere. 
Juliet  Gainsborough,  an  orphan. 
Alice  Gainsborough,  her  sister,  a  nun. 
Lady  Gwendolene  Marleaze. 
The  Princess  Vendramini. 
The  Duchess  of  Hampshire. 
Lady  Basler. 
Lady  Ullweather. 
Lady  Vanringham. 
Mrs.  Dasney. 

Mrs.  Whitcomb  J.  Taylorson. 

Miss  Katie  Taylorson      "^  ,       ,      ,  ,  •      ^      ^ 

Miss  Yolande  Taylorson  f  ^"  daughters,  studymg  Grand 

Miss  Mamie  Taylorson    j  <^P"^  ^"  P^"'- 

Mrs.  Spearing,  Lady  Beauvedere's  housekeeper. 

ToMKiNs,  a  housemaid. 

Rorter 

Jenkins 

Duval,  Lascelles'  manservant. 


footmen. 


TOTO. 

Lord  Reggie. 


Act  I.  —  At  Lady  Beawvedere" s  residence  in  the  Champs  Elyse'eSy 
Paris. 

Four  days  elapse. 

Act   II.  —  Conser'vatory   at    Lady    Beawvedere"" s.       Thursday 
morning. 

Act  III.  —  At  Major  Lascelles""  residence  in  the  Champs  Elysies. 
Same  morning. 

Act  IV.  —  Garden  at  Lady  Beawvedere' s.      Same  morning. 


THE    AMBASSADOR 

THE   FIRST   ACT 

Scene:  At  Lady  Beaumedere'  s  in  the  Champs  Ely  sees ,  Paris. 
Time:  About  half-past  t^wo  in  the  afternoon.  A  room  lux- 
uriously furnished ;  style  Louis  Seize.  Here  and  there  a 
modern  piece  of  furniture,  ^laniities  of  roses,  tables  co'v- 
ered  luith  books,  photographs,  "vases,  objets  d''art.  Cards 
on  table  R.  Fancy  'work.  Photo  on  piano.  Nenvspapers 
up  c.  A  marble  bust  of  Sir  William  Beauvedere  be- 
tnjueen  the  t-ivo  ivindoivs  (^at  side).  A  large  conser'vatory 
at  back.  A  piano,  sofa,  ^writing-table  and  chairs.  As 
curtain  rises,  Juliet  Gainsborough,  a  pretty  girl  about 
eighteen,  'well,  but  not  gaudily-dressed,  and  Alice  Gains- 
borough, a  Nun,  evidently  some  years  her  senior,  are  talk- 
ing earnestly  together  on  a  sofa. 

ALICE  (with  anxiety^. 

Dearest  Juliet,  you  have  not  yet  told  me  why  you 
accepted  Sir  William. 


2  THE   AMBASSADOR  [Act  I 

JULIET. 

(JVho  is  opening  letters  and  throwing  them  aside.) 

Why  ?  Because  I  wanted  to  be  married,  and  wear 
a  black  velvet  dinner-gown  with  a  long  diamond  chain. 
.  .  .  "Severe  simplicity,"  as  Mrs.  Dasney  would  say, 
"  and  twenty  thousand  pound  dangling  from  my 
neck ! " 

ALICE  (distressed). 

Fancy  marrying  for  such  a  reason ! 

JULIET. 

Lots  of  girls  do ! 

ALICE. 

But  you  would  n*t. 

JULIET. 

Oh,  well !  I  hope  to  make  Bill  happy.  .  .  .  {Rising 
and  going  up  to  bust.)  .  .  .  Alice,  do  you  think  he  looks 
like  a  "  Bill  "  ?  {Points  to  bust.)  He  ought  to  be  a 
polysyllable !  {-^f^er  a  pause.)  Yes,  I  want  to  make 
him  happy.  {All  through  this  scene  she  is  evidently  labour- 
ing under  despair  and  an  assumption  of  cynicism.) 

ALICE. 

And  your  own  happiness? 


Scene  i]        THE    AMBASSADOR  3 

JULIET. 

That  will  come.     I  'm  so  grateful  to  him. 

ALICE. 

What  has  he  done? 

JULIET. 

He  gives  me  his  love,  his  name,  his  career,  his  home, 
his  fortune.   .  .  . 

ALICE. 

And  why  should  n't  he  ? 

JULIET. 

Look  at  me !  I  'm  a  girl  without  a  penny,  with- 
out influence,  without  a  single  great  relative  ! 

ALICE. 

Grandpapa  is  a  duke. 

JULIET. 

But  he's  only  a  duke  because  one  of  our  ancestors 
in  the  eleventh  century  fought  for  God  and  his  King! 
No  one  cares  for  that  sort  of  thing  now.  Grandpapa 
is  neither  rich  nor  new ;  he  hates  politics ;  he  won't 
even  be  a  guinea-pig  !  He  's  just  a  fussy  old  coun- 
try gentleman  with  a  large  family  and  a  few  rents. 
He's  nobody  ! 


4  THE   AMBASSADOR  [Act  I 

ALICE. 

Oh,  Juliet !  how  you  have  changed  since  you  came 
out! 

JULIET. 

(^Stifling  a  sob.^ 

No,  dear ;  I  haven't  changed.  But,  from  the  Con- 
vent window  we  used  to  watch  the  sea.  And  the  sea 
—  no  matter  how  rough  it  may  be  —  always  reflects 
the  sky.  Now,  I  have  left  school.  ...  I  am  watch- 
ing the  earth  and  that  .  .   .   (^Crosses  to  r.  c.) 


ALICE. 

Well?  .  .  . 

JULIET. 

That,  so  far,  seems  to  reflect  .  .  .  the  other  place ! 
Covers  her  face  with  her  hands.)     Oh,  I  am  disillu- 
^  oned ! 

ALICE. 

Ah,  no  !  [Rises.)  Disillusions  all  come  from  within 
.  .  .  from  the  failure  of  some  dear  and  secret  hope. 
The  world  makes  no  promises ;  we  only  dream  it 
does;  and  when  we  wake,  we  cry!  ...  Is  Lady 
Beauvedere  kind  to  you  ?     (^Puts  letters  on  piano.) 


Scene  i]         THE   AMBASSADOR  5 

JULIET. 

All  kindness.  She  gave  me  this  frock;  her  maid 
does  my  hair;  her  newest  genius  is  painting  my  por- 
trait; her  dearest  friends  will  soon  be  mine.    But  .  .  . 

ALICE. 

What  ? 

JULIET. 

In  her  soul  she  cannot  bear  me. 

ALICE  (moving  towards  Juliet^. 
Juliet ! 

JULIET. 

She  thinks  I  am  mercenary —  I  am  not.  She  thinks 
I  am  frivolous  —  I  am  not.  She  thinks  me  vain,  heart- 
less, selfish — I  am  not.  ...  I  am  not !  {^She  bursts 
into  tears.) 

ALICE  (^seating  herself). 

She  cannot  be  so  unjust !  Consider —  she  has  in- 
vited you  here  to  this  beautiful  place. 

JULIET. 

It  is  n't  hers.  It  all  belongs  to  Bill.  That 's  why 
I  feel  an  intruder.  I  am  turning  her  out  of  her  own 
home.  As  though  I  wanted  it !  I  'd  rather  be  a  spar- 
row alone  on  a  housetop  than  lead  the  Ufe  of  these 
women  of  the  world  ! 


6  THE   AMBASSADOR  [Act  I 

ALICE. 

Are  you  so  miserable  ? 

JULIET. 

Can't  you  see  that  I  am  utterly  wretched  ? 

ALICE. 

Juliet,  do  you   ...  do  you  love  him  ? 

JULIET. 

No  !  no  !  no  !  I  don't.  But  what  shall  I  do  ?  He 
has  been  so  good  to  me.  I  must  love  him  in  time. 
.  .   .  Yet,  that 's  not  all.   .   .  .  There 's  more. 

ALICE. 

What  else  ? 

JULIET. 

There  is  a  girl  ,   .   .  who  does  love  him. 


ALICE. 


Who  's  that  ? 


JULIET. 

Gwen  Marleaze.  I  have  just  made  this  discovery. 
She's  not  kind;  she's  proud,  suspicious  and  cold; 
she's  cruel,  she's  worldly,  but  .  .  .  she  loves  him. 
She  would  sell  her  soul  for  him.  She's  suffering  .  .  . 
she  's  breaking  her  heart  .  .  .  she  's  dying,  I  believe, 
of  love. 


Scene  i]         THE    AMBASSADOR  7 

ALICE. 

Poor  girl ! 

JULIET. 

Then  what  .   .   .  is  to  be  done  ? 

ALICE  (rising^ 

Dearest,  this  engagement  must  be  broken  off.  Mis- 
ery .  .  .  piercing  misery  will  come  of  it.  You  will  re- 
pent it  —  Oh,  with  what  anguish  !  what  desolation 
of  heart ! 

JULIET. 

Of  course !  Who  ever  heard  of  a  pleasant,  easy, 
enjoyable  repentance  ! 

ALICE. 

Where  is  Sir  William  now  ? 

JULIET. 

At  Berlin. 

ALICE. 

Then  write  to  him.  Write  to  him  now,  and  let 
me  post  the  letter.  Tell  him,  that  in  your  attempt 
to  make  him  happy,  you  have  made  two  people  miser- 
able already,  and  the  third  will  be  himself!  Tell  him 
it  is  impossible,  and  again  impossible,  and  yet  again, 
impossible ! 


8  THE   AMBASSADOR  [Act  I 

JULIET  (with  a  cry  of  relief). 
Oh,  Alice,  that  is  just  what  I  have  been  writing  to 
him. 

ALICE. 

You  don't  mean  it  ? 

JULIET  {drawing  letter  from  pocket). 

See,  I  wrote  this  this  morning.  (Gives  letter  to 
Alice.)  I  dare  n't  tell  you  at  first,  till  I  knew  what 
you  thought.  (With  emotion.)  I  felt  such  a  burden  at 
home,  and  I  knew  it  was  my  duty  to  feel  grateful  for 
Sir  William's  kindness  !  But  I  can't  marry  him  —  I 
cannot ! 

(Enter  Jenkins.) 

JENKINS. 

The  carriage  is  at  the  door,  miss. 

[^Exit  Jenkins. 

JULIET. 

I  '11  come  at  once.  (Takes  letter  from  Alice.)  We 
can  post  this  as  we  pass.  (Looking  at  calendar.)  This 
is  Saturday.  There  is  time  —  he  will  receive  it  (seal- 
ing and  stamping  the  letter)  before  he  leaves  Berlin  on 
Tuesday  morning  for  the  ball. 

ALICE. 

What  ball  ? 


Scene  i]        THE   AiMBASSADOR  9 

JULIET- 

The  ball  on  Lady  Beauvedere's  birthday.  (^Rises.) 
She 's  only  thirty-five ;  that  is  n't  much,  and  then, 
she  's  beautiful. 

ALICE. 

Perhaps  she  will  marry  again. 

JULIET. 

I  have  heard  that  she  is  very  fond  of  Lord  St.  Orbyn. 
ALICE. 

How  do  they  know  ? 

JULIET. 

Because  Mrs.  Dasney  says  that  he  always  tells 
people,  when  her  name  is  mentioned,  that  he  is  n't  a 
marrying  man  !     But  come,  we  shall  be  late. 

ALICE. 

We  can  post  the  letter  together,  and  then  .  .  .  {half 
smiling  and  looking  round  the  room)  .  .  .  mind,  it  means 
you  renounce  all  this  —  all  diamonds  and  all  black 
velvet. 


10  THE   AMBASSADOR  [Act  I 

JULIET  (^passionately). 

I  would  n't  take  a  whole  city  of  such  houses  for 
even  the  least  of  the  dreams  I  brought  with  me  and 
lost  here ! 

ALICE  {going  to  JULIET). 

The  dreams  will  all  come  back  again  ! 

JULIET. 

Do  you  think  so  ? 

ALICE. 

I  know  it.     Come  ! 

\^Exeunt^  as  Mrs.  Spearing,  the  housekeeper,^  followed  by 
RoRTER  and  ToMKiNS,  with  a  number  ofjlower  vases 
on  a  tray^  enter. 

MRS.  SPEARING  (tO  RORTER). 

Put  the  marguerites  on  that  table.  {Points  to  c.  table.) 
Put  that  on  the  mantelpiece  (Rorter  puts  marguerites 
on  c.  table  and  other  Jlowers  on  mantelpiece) —  the  poppies 
on  the  piano  (Tomkins  puts  poppies  on  piano)  and  the 
lilies  on  the  writing-table.  {Standing  R.  c,  to  RoRTER.) 
Look  at  that  chair  ! 

RORTER. 

I  am  looking. 

MRS.  SPEARING. 

What 's  the  matter  with  it  ? 


Scene  i]        THE    AMBASSADOR  ii 

RORTER  {after  a  pause). 
One  of  us  must  be  squinting  ! 

MRS.  SPEARING. 

O,  Rorter!     Go  to  the  liberry   and   bring   up  Sir 

Charles  de  Lorme's  "  History  of  Asia  "  —  it  is  his  day 

for  calling. 

\Exit  Rorter. 

(  To  TOMKINS.) 

Why,  bless  my  soul  {looking  on  writing-table  for 
photograph)^  where  is  Lord  St.  Orbyn's  photigraph  ? 
and  him  expected  down  every  moment  ?  There  's 
management ! 

TOMKINS  {looking  on  piano). 
Here 'e  is  —  be'ind  the  vase. 

MRS.  SPEARING  {taking  photograph). 

Now,  there  's  a  man  I  could  take  to.  Cold,  'aughty, 
you-keep-your-place-and-I  'll-keep-mine  ;  that 's  the 
style  !  That  's  a  man  to  make  'ome  happy.  {Hands 
it  to  ToMKiNS.)  Don't  put  it  on  the  writing-table  — 
that's  most  conspicuous  and  indelicate  !  The  planner's 
the  right  place.  Where  are  them  cards  ?  Ah,  here 
they  are.  Her  ladyship  's  wonderful  fond  of  a  game 
of   Patience   lately.     It 's  so   soothing  when  you  're 


12  THE   AMBASSADOR  [Act  I 

sitting  with  a  sword,  so  to  speak,  over  your  head ! 

{Looks  about  the  room.)  .  .  .  And,  oh,  my  goodness ! 
Tomkins! 

TOMKINS. 

Yes,  Mrs.  Spearing  ? 

MRS.  SPEARING. 

Who  's  been  and   dusted  half  the  marble  off  Sir 
Williamses'  bust  ? 

TOMKINS. 

It 's  Lady  Gwendolene.     Come  in  when  I  will  she 
is  a-dusting  of  it  fit  to  break  her  'eart ! 

MRS.  SPEARING. 

Poor  young  lady ! 

TOMKINS  (putting  things  straight  on  piano). 
And  'as  Sir  William  really  be'aved  so  'eartless  to 
her,  Mrs.  Spearing  ? 
(Re-enter  Rorter  with  book,  and ^^■The  Upper  Ten.^') 

RORTER  (who  has  evidently  been  listening  at  the  door). 
Something  shameful ! 

MRS.  SPEARING. 

(Taking  book  from  him  and  putting  it  on  table.) 
Hold  your  tongue  !    What  do  you  know  about  it  ? 


Scene  i]        THE   AMBASSADOR  13 

RORTER. 

You  can  read  it  for  yourself  in  The  Upper  Ten. 
(ToMKiNS  boks  at  paper  over  Rorter's  shoulder.') 
'Ere  's  the  column.  "  Things  we  should  like  to  know." 
(^Reads.)  "  What  will  become  of  a  certain  peer's 
daughter  now  that  a  certain  Bart,  has  engaged  himself 
to  the  penniless  Miss  What  's-her-name?  "  I  call  that 
pretty  straight  1 

MRS.  SPEARING. 

I  wouldn't  read  such  low  stuff.  (Approaching  them.) 
Let  me  see  it  with  my  own  eyes.  Be  off,  —  both  of 
you  ! 

l^Exeunt  RoRTER  and  ToMKlNS. 

MRS.  SPEARING  (seating  herself). 
"  A  much-talked-of  match  is  not  finding  favour  in 
the  right  quarters.  It  seems  an  occasion  for  half- 
mourning."  There's  impudence  and r^d^/<:^//.r»z/  "Lady 
Beauvedere  is  receiving  congratulations  on  her  step- 
son's engagement  to  Miss  Juliet  Gainsborough."  Ah, 
poor  thing,  she  is  indeed  ! 

(Enter  Vivian  Beauvedere,  a  precocious^  delicate-look- 
ing boy,  about  eighteen^  through  the  conservatory.) 

VIVIAN. 

Oh,  Speary,  I  am  so  depressed  !     ( Opens  piano.) 


14  THE    AMBASSADOR  [Act  I 

MRS.  SPEARING  (rising). 

For  pity's  sake,  Master  Vivie,  don't  you  go  and  fall 
in  love  too,  and  make  us  all  unhappy  ! 

VIVIAN  (turning  over  music). 

There 's  no  danger.  I  see  too  much  of  women 
and  their  little  ways.  That 's  one  advantage,  after  all, 
in  being  too  delicate  to  go  to  school  or  Oxford.  (Be- 
gins to  play  a  valse.) 

MRS.  SPEARING. 

I  do  hope  that  nice  tune  will  liven  up  her  poor 
ladyship.      (Goes  out  wiping  her  eyes.) 

(Js  ViviAU  plays.  Lady  Beauvedere,  a  very  handsome, 
young-looking  woman,  about  thirty-Jive,  enters,  followed 
by  Lady  Gwendolene,  a  girl  about  twenty-two,  very 
intense,  silent  and  languishing.) 

lady  beauvedere. 

(Crossing  to  Vivian,  and  placing  her  hands  on  his 
shoulder.) 

Darling  boy,  my  mind  is  crowded  with  painful 
thoughts,  yet,  when  you  play,  I  can  forget  them  all. 
You  are  my  comfort.  Never,  never  disappoint  me. 
I  could  not  bear  it.     (JVipes  her  eyes.) 


Scene  i]        THE   AMBASSADOR  15 

VIVIAN. 

(^Rising  from  piano  and  arranging  the  cushions  for  her  on 
the  sofa  where  Lady  Beauvedere  now  sits.) 
Why  do  you  say  that  ?     It  almost  implies  a  doubt. 
You  ought  to  feel  sure  of  me. 

GWENDOLENE. 

(JVho  has  seated  herself  at  fancy-work^  mournfully.) 

Disappointments  —  like  fate  and  love  —  will  not 
bear  to  be  too  much  talked  about. 

VIVIAN  {walking  about). 

Oh !   I  am  so  depressed.     I  do  wish  you  would  all 
smile  again  just  as  you  used  before  Bill's  engagement. 
(Lady  Gwendolene  stifes  a  sob^  rises  suddeYily^  and 
leaves  the  room.) 

lady  beauvedere  {looking  after  her). 
Poor  sweet  girl !  Her  eyes  were  full  of  tears.  Did 
you  notice  how  pale  she  grew  just  at  the  mention  of 
Bill's  name  ?  And  yet  your  brother  can  forsake  a 
heart  like  that  for  the  sake  of  a  little  serpent  in 
dove's  feathers. 

VIVIAN. 

Oh,  hang  it  all !  A  fellow  can't  marry  every  girl 
who  gets  pale  every  time  his  name  is  mentioned. 
There  would  simply  be  no  end  to  it. 


i6  THE   AMBASSADOR  [Act  I 

{Enter  Jenkins,  bearing  a  salver  of  letters.^ 
Ah,  the  post !   (Jenkins  puts  letters  on  writing-table.) 

LADY  BEAUVEDERE. 

(To  Vivian.)  One  moment.  {To  Jenkins.)  Is 
Lord  St.  Orbyn  still  in  his  room,  Jenkins? 

JENKINS. 

Yes,  my  lady.  His  lordship  is  still  dressing,  my 
lady.  His  lordship's  servant  led  me  to  suppose  that 
his  lordship  would  not  be  down  for  a  couple  of  hours. 

lady  BEAUVEDERE. 

That  will  do.  \^Exit  Jenkins. 

VIVIAN  {turning  over  the  letters). 
What  a  heap  !     {Seats  himself.) 

LADY  BEAUVEDERE. 

{Covering  her  eyes  with  her  handkerchief) 
Read  them  for  me;  my  head  is  too  bad. 

VIVIAN  {opening  the  letters  and  reading). 
The  Savignys  accept.  .  .  .  The  de  Traceys  are  in 
mourning.  .  .  .  Lady  Agnes  and  her  bony  girls.   Soames 
hopes  to  find  time.  .  .  .  What  an  ass!  .  .  .  {Opens  let- 
ter containing  cheque ;  looks  at  Lady  Beauvedere,  and 


Scene  i]        THE   AMBASSADOR  17 

quietly  places  cheque  in  pocket.)   .   .   .   {After  a  pause.) 
Mama ! 

LADY  BEAUVEDERE  {injith  her  eyes  still  covered). 
Yes,  dear. 

VIVIAN. 

May  I  send  a  card  to  Hugo  Lascelles? 

LADY  BEAUVEDERE  {with  energy). 

No !  I  have  told  you  that  I  refuse  to  know  him 
—  a  gambler  —  a  horrid  wretch  who  lives  on  other 
men's  losses! 

VIVIAN. 

How  ridiculous!  We  all  do  that  —  more  or  less  ! 
He  is  a  high-minded  fellow  as  ever  got  up  a  baccarat 

table. 

LADY  BEAUVEDERE. 

Baccarat ! 

VIVIAN. 

Well,  you  can't  expect  me  to  sit  playing  loto  with 
old  Spearie  in  the  housekeeper's  room  at  my  age ! 

LADY  BEAUVEDERE. 

Major  Lascelles  is  so  shocking  that  he  can  even 
say  witty  things  about  his  own  bad  character. 


i8  THE   AMBASSADOR  [Act  I 


VIVIAN.  X 

You  think  all  the  world  of  St.  Orbyn,  yet  St.  Orbyn 
is  one  of  his  greatest  friends. 

LADY  BEAUVEDERE. 

Lord  St.  Orbyn  has  a  great  official  position,  and 
he  has  to  know  many  odd  characters  —  for  various 
reasons.  One  attends  an  Ambassador's  parties  as  one 
goes  to  church  —  one  has  to  rub  shoulders  with  all 
sorts  of  people  and  be  civil,  after  a  fashion,  to  all 
of  'em. 

VIVIAN. 

But  .   .   . 

LADY  BEAUVEDERE. 

Not  another  word.   .   .   . 

{Enter  Jenkins.) 

JENKINS. 

Lady  Easier. 
{Enter Lady  BASLER^Jashionabfy dressed.  ExitJEt^KiNS.) 

LADY  BASLER. 

(Crossing  the  room  and  sitting  on  sofa  near  Lady  Beau- 
vedere,  who  makes  but  a  feeble  attempt  to  rise.  She 
plays  the  invalid  all  through  the  follcnving  scene.) 


Scene  i]        THE   AMBASSADOR  19 

Dearest  Geraldine  !     Don't  move.     How  are  you  ? 
I  am  dying  to  hear  about  the  engagement. 


LADY  BEAUVEDERE. 

Oh,  that  engagement ! 

LADY  BASLER. 

Of  course  Bill  is  far  too  young  —  and  fancy  you 
a  possible  grandmother !     Dear  Geraldine,  how  trying ! 

LADY  BEAUVEDERE. 

In  the  first  place,  dear,  a  ^/^/(-grandmother, —  it  is 
not  quite  as  though  he  were  my  own  son,  and  then,  I 
married  very  young  myself. 

LADY  BASLER. 

But  I  want  to  know  .  .  . 

{Enter  Jenkins.) 

JENKINS. 

Mrs.  Dasney. 

(Mrs.  Dasney,  in  a  very  elaborate  govon^  trips  in. 
Exit  Jenkins.) 


20  THE   AMBASSADOR  [Act  I 

MRS.   DASNEY. 

What  luck !  I  was  afraid  you  would  n't  be  at  home. 
I  have  just  been  to  such  a  smart  funeral  this  morning. 
I  had  barely  time  to  get  back  and  change  into  this. 
Everybody  was  there.  (Vivian  places  chair  from  piano 
for  Mrs  Dasney.) 

LADY  BEAUVEDERE. 

Whose  funeral  was  it  ? 
« 

MRS.  DASNEY  {in  a  hushed  voice). 
Poor  Milly's.  (Seats  herself.)  I  am  so  sorry  you 
missed  it.  You  would  have  enjoyed  ...  I  mean,  you 
would  have  been  so  interested.  Now,  you  have  your 
own  excitement.  Fancy  that  naughty  boy  getting  en- 
gaged !  I  hear  that  Miss  Gainsborough  is  too  pretty. 
What  a  mercy,  dear,  that  she  is  n't  third-rate ! 

LADY  BASLER. 

Third-rate  women  always  try  to  be  second-rate ! 

MRS.  DASNEY. 

And  what  is  worse  than  a  second-rate  manquee  ? 
(Lady  Basler  is  crushed.)  I  suppose  when  Bill  mar- 
ries you  '11  have  to  give  up  all  this  ?  {Looking  round 
the  room.) 


Scene  i]         THE   AMBASSADOR  21 

LADY  BEAUVEDERE. 

Of  course,  and  go  to  my  dower-house  in  Wiltshire, 
among  the  Moon-rakers ! 

LADY  BASLER. 

I  'm  afraid  I  'm  rather  out  of  this  conversation.    I  '11 
move.     [Rises  and  goes  up  R.) 

MRS.  DASNEY  {taking  her  place). 

Thanks  so  much.     What  I  want  to  know  is  .  .  . 

{Enter  Jenkins.) 

JENKINS. 

Lady  Vanringham. 
{Enter  Lady  Vanringham  ;  pretty,  thin,  helpless.   Exit 
Jenkins.) 

LADY  vanringham. 

Oh  ...  I  was  hoping  you  would  be  alone  ...  I 
mean  .  .  .  don't  get  up.  .  .  . 

LADY  BEAUVEDERE  {pointing  to  choir  by  sofa). 
Dear  Harriet,  do  take  this  chair !    So  good  of  you. 

LADY  vanringham  {seating  herself). 
Are  you  awfully  upset  ? 


22  THE  AMBASSADOR  [Act  I 

LADY  BEAUVEDERE  {wearily). 
Oh,  no.     Of  course  dear  Bill  is  very  young,  but  I 
married  very  young  myself.  .  .  . 

LADY   VANRINGHAM. 

If  they  love  each  other  what  does  it  matter  ?  The 
great  thing  is  the  girl.     Is  she  a  nice  girl  ? 

LADY  BEAUVEDERE. 

Oh,  charming. 

LADY  BASLER. 

Where 's  her  photo,  G.  ? 

VIVIAN. 

Bill  has  taken  them  all  away  with  him  to  Berlin. 

LADY   BASLER. 

How  sweet  of  him  !  But  I  'm  rather  sorry  that  the 
poor  girl  is  n't  plain. 

LADY   BEAUVEDERE. 

Why  ? 

LADY   BASLER. 

Because  a  plain  woman  can  defy  the  three  cruellest 
enemies  of  her  sex  —  Time,  Sorrow  —  and  Men's 
Fickleness ! 

MRS.    DASNEY. 

You  've  forgotten  the  fourth  —  the  worst  of  the  lot. 


Scene  i]        THE   AMBASSADOR  23 

LADY  VANRINGHAM. 

What 's  that  ? 

MRS.    DASNEY. 

The  jealousy  of  rivals  ! 

(^Enter  Jenkins.) 

JENKINS  (^announcing). 

Sir  Charles  de  Lorme. 
(Enter  Sir  Charles  de  Lorme.     Exit  Jenkins.) 

LADY  BEAUVEDERE. 

(Rising  and  shaking  hands  with  Sir  Charles.) 
Dear  Sir  Charles,  this  is  too  nice. 
(Mrs.  Dasney  moves  up  on  sofa  till  she  is  r.  of  Lady 
Vanringham  ;    Lady  Basler  sits  l.  of  r.  table. 
Vivian  on  stool  below  this  table.) 

sir  CHARLES  (lugubriously). 
I  have  called  to  ofFer  my  congratulations. 

LADY  BEAUVEDERE. 

Thanks  so  much.  We  are  all  so  happy  about  the 
affair.  Of  course  Bill  is  a  little  young,  but  I  married 
very  young  myself,  and  it  all  seems  so  idyllic ! 


24  THE   AMBASSADOR  [Act  I 

SIR  CHARLES  {relieved). 

Really  now.  I  am  delighted,  simply  delighted ! 
What  a  comfort  that  you  are  happy  about  it !  (Lady 
Beauvedere  sits  on  sofa  where  Mrs.  Dasney  sat 
before.) 

MRS.    dasney. 

She  is  not  rich,  but  she  is  quite  lovely,  and  he  is  very 
fond  of  her. 

LADY  VANRINGHAM  {with  sentiment). 

And  if  the  young  people  love  each  other,  what  does 
it  matter  ? 

SIR  CHARLES. 

It  seems  an  ideal  match  in  every  respect.  (^Seats 
himself.)  Miss  Gainsborough  is  Bill's  equal  in  birth, 
his  superior  in  beauty,  his  junior  in  years.  An  ideal 
match  ! 

LADY  VANRINGHAM. 

Who  brought  them  together,  dear? 

LADY  beauvedere. 

The  Duchess  of  Hampshire. 

MRS.  DASNEY. 

She  is  so  tactless. 


Scene  i]        THE   AMBASSADOR  25 

LADY  BASLER. 

Not  at  all.  I  believe  she  does  it  on  purpose.  She 
has  a  mania  for  marrying  off  poor  orphans.  I  often 
wish  my  girls  were  orphans.  They  'd  do  so  much 
better. 

MRS.  DASNEY. 

I  believe  men  like  orphans  .  .  .  there 's  no  mother- 
in-law.  But  I  must  be  going.  Goodbye,  dear.  (^Crosses 
the  room^  pauses^  then  returns  to  SiR  Charles,  c.)  Oh, 
Sir  Charles,  do  let  me  drop  you  somewhere. 

SIR   CHARLES. 

{A  little  embarrassed^  but  not  displeased^ 
That 's  very  sweet  of  you,  but  .  .  . 

MRS.  DASNEY. 

No,  I  insist !  you  know  I  never  see  you.  (Sir 
Charles  tries  not  to  look  astonished  at  this  remark^  You 
need  a  blow  in  the  Bois.  And  we  can  see  the  blossoms 
in  bloom.  Really!  my  life  is  such  a  whirl,  that  I'm 
a  stranger  —  a  perfect  stranger  —  to  the  real  pleasures 
of  existence.      (Puts  one  hand  on  his  arm  as  if  to  keep 

him  quiet.^ 

LADY  BASLER. 

But  you  do  so  much,  don't  you  ? 


26  THE   AMBASSADOR  [Act  1 

\ 

LADY  BEAUVEDERE  {smiling.^  to  save  the  situation). 
And  does  it  all  so  beautifully ! 

MRS.  DASNEY  {(juickly). 

My  husband  is  very  hospitable;  of  course,  enter- 
tainment for  entertainment's  sake  is  the  most  expen- 
sive form  of  death,  and  perhaps  —  (hesitating). 

LADY  BASLER. 

Vulgar  ? 

LADY  BEAUVEDERE. 

(Rising  and  addressing  Mrs.  Dasney.) 
Do  come  to  lunch  on  Saturday. 

MRS.  dasney. 

Awfully  sorry  —  can't.  In  the  morning  I  have  the 
Armenian  Massacres  Committee,  and  in  the  afternoon 
I  must  decide  on  my  gown  for  the  GIossop  Fancy 
Ball,  and  I  lunch  with  ...  let  me  think  —  who  do  I 
lunch  with? 

LADY  BEAUVEDERE. 

What  a  bore !     Come  Sunday. 

MRS.  DASNEY. 

Delighted. 


Scene  i]        THE   AMBASSADOR  27 

LADY   BEAUVEDERE. 

Bring  your  husband. 

MRS.  DASNEY. 

Oh,  no  J  ask  him  when  you  don't  ask  me.     We 
are  so  dull  together.     Goodbye. 

LADY  BEAUVEDERE  {tO   SIR    CHARLES). 

Dine  with  us  on  Sunday  ? 


SIR  CHARLES. 
MRS.  DASNEY. 


Charmed. 
Sir  Charles. 

SIR  CHARLES. 

Charmed.     {Follows  Mrs.  Dasney  out  of  the  room.) 

LADY  VANRINGHAM. 

I  must  go  too.  Goodbye.  But  I  am  sorry  to  see 
you  looking  so  poorly.  But  if  the  young  people  love 
each  other,  what  does  it  matter !  It  will  be  all  right ; 
don't  worry.  (^Advancing  and  addressing  Lady  Bas- 
LER.)  Goodbye,  Edith.  I  'm  sure  we  all  married  for 
love.  Even  Dolly  Dasney  married  for  love ;  and 
there  's  nothing  the  matter  with  us  .  .  .  we  are  happy 
enough.     Goodbye. 

\Exit^follotved  by  ViviAN. 


28  THE   AMBASSADOR  [Act  I 

LADY  BASLE R  {looking  after  her). 
Poor  Harriet !  she  's  dear,  but  such  a  bore  \  and  that 
dreadful  Dasney  woman  !     How  she  does  chase  after 
Sir  Charles  de  Lorme !     I  call  her  such  a  bounder ! 

LADY  BEAUVEDERE  {crossing  to  table). 
But  she  can  make  anything  "  go "  .  .  .  that 's  a 
rest!     Everybody  knows  her  —  all  Society.  .  .  . 

LADY  BASLER  {sneering  a  little). 
Represented  by  the  Duchess  of  Hampshire ! 

LADY   BEAUVEDERE. 

All  Propriety  ? 

LADY   BASLER. 

Represented  by  yourself! 

LADY  BEAUVEDERE  {smiling  a  little). 
And  all  Impropriety  ? 

LADY    BASLER.  * 

My  dear !     Now  you  have  stumped  me  !     {Jfier  a 
pause.)     Well,  darling,  has  St.  Orbyn  arrived  ? 

LADY  BEAUVEDERE. 

Yes,  he  arrived  last  night.     I  have  not  seen  him 
yet.     It  was  so  late. 


Scene  i]         THE   AMBASSADOR  29 

LADY  BASLER. 

What  a  pity  it  is,  dear,  that  St.  Orbyn  is  not  a 
marrying  man  !  What  a  comfort  he  would  have  been 
to  you  .  .  .  now  that  Bill  is  settling  in  life ! 

LADY  BEAUVEDERE. 

Oh,  my  dear !  St.  Orbyn  and  I  are  such  friends 
as  we  are,  that  the  idea  <if  marrying  him  would  seem 
almost  .  .  .  almost  a  pity. 

LADY    BASLER. 

All  the  $ame  he  would  have  married  you  sixteen 
years  ago  ! 

LADY  BEAUVEDERE. 

How  can  you  say  that  —  when  you  know  my  heart 
was  buried  with  dear  Basil  ? 

LADY  BASLER. 

That,  my  dear,  was  a  case  of  premature  burial ! 

LADY  BEAUVEDERE. 

What  do  you  mean  ? 

LADY    BASLER. 

Just  what  I  say.  St.  Orbyn  was  dying  to  marry  you 
sixteen  years  ago,  when  you  were  a  widow  of  nineteen  ! 


30  THE   AMBASSADOR  [Act  I 

LADY  BEAUVEDERE. 

Yes  ...  I  was  very  young. 

LADY   BASLER. 

And  now,  of  course,  Gerry  dear,  you  are  still  young 
—  in  a  way  —  but  ten  to  one  now  St.  Orbyn  don't 
keep  you  for  a  friend  because  you  arc  amusin',  and 
marry  some  little  noodle  —  because  she 's  so  fresh ! 
That 's  the  world  !  That 's  men  !  Take  the  case  of 
Monty.     How  did  Monty  treat  me  ? 

LADY  BEAUVEDERE. 

That 's  a  certain  type  of  man.  St.  Orbyn  is  quite 
different ! 

LADY    BASLER. 

They  're  all  different,  dear  (rises  and  crosses  to  Lady 
Beauvedere),  till  it  comes  to  a  question  of  marriage, 
and  then  they  're  all  the  same  !  But  I  must  be  going. 
Goodbye,  pet.  Don't  come.  I  shall  meet  Vivie  on 
the  stairs. 

Lady  Basler  goes  out.  Lady  Beauvedere  moves  to 
piano  and  looks  at  St.  Orbyn' s  photograph.,  then  sits 
down  and  sings  — 

"  Le  doux  printemps  a  bu  dans  le  creux  de  sa  main 
Le  premier  pleur  qu'au  bois  laissa  tomber  I'aurore ; 
Vous  aimerez  demain,  vous  qui  n'aimiez  encore, 
Et  vous  qui  n'aimiez  plus,  vous  aimerez  demain  ! " 


Scene  i]        THE   AMBASSADOR  31 

ST.  ORBYN. 

{Heard  outside.)  Is  Lady  Beauvedere  in  the  draw- 
ing-room ?  (Lady  Beauvedere  rises  and  crosses  to  r.) 
I  will  join  her  at  once.  What  delicious  roses  !  May 
I  steal  one  ? 

LADY  GWENDOLENE  (appearing  in  doorway). 
Pray  do.     {She  disappears  again.) 
(St.  Orbyn  enters  through  the  conservatory.     He  is  a 
distinguished,  rather  blase-looking  man  of  about  forty- 
five.) 

ST.   ORBYN. 

My  dear  Geraldine,  what  a  pleasure  this  is!  {kisses 
her  hand)  I  thought  you  so  sensible  not  to  sit  up  for 
me  last  night.  My  train  arrived  at  the  most  uncivil 
hour.  Ah,  to  get  away  from  my  work,  and  to  come 
here  to  you — the  enchantress  —  the  irresistible!  I 
am  a  boy  in  my  happiness  —  a  boy  ! 

LADY  BEAUVEDERE  {sitting). 

Dear  Bertie,  I  am  too  happy  to  see  you.  To  think 
that  a  whole  year  has  passed  since  our  last  meeting ! 

ST.  ORBYN  {lightly). 
What  is  a  year  ?    A  little  hunting,  a  little  shooting, 
a  little  dancing,  a  little  dining,  a  little  racing,  a  little 


32  THE    AMBASSADOR  [Act  I 

losing,  a  little  cursing,  a  little  yawning,  a  little  flirt- 
ing, and  —  a  little  repenting!  Why,  a  year  is  no 
more  than  a  well-ordered  day ! 

LADY    BEAUVEDERE. 

Can  you  keep  a  secret  ? 

ST.   ORBYN. 

Give  me  several,  and  then,  thank  God !  one  will 
help  me  to  keep  the  others ! 

LADY  BEAUVEDERE. 

Well,  let  me  tell  you  this,  the  days  seem  long — 
only  when  I  neither  see  nor  hear  from  you ! 

ST.  ORBYN. 

What  charming  things  you  say ! 

LADY  BEAUVEDERE. 

That 's  because  I  'm  in  practice. 

ST.  ORBYN. 

How  so  ? 

LADY  BEAUVEDERE. 

I  have  just  seen  a   lot  of  women  callers.     In  a 
minute  I  shall  sing  "  God  save  the  Queen  !  "  (rising). 


Scene  i]        THE   AMBASSADOR  33 


ST.  ORBYN. 

What  a  mood  is  this ! 

LADY  BEAUVEDERE  {reseating  herself). 
Oh,  don't  you  know  that  every  dinner,  every  lunch, 
every  call  where  women  meet  is  a  field  of  Waterloo  ? 

ST.  ORBYN. 

Why  ? 

LADY  BEAUVEDERE- 

Napoleon  and  Wellington  settled  their  battle  once 
and  for  ever,  but  women  .  .  . 

ST.  ORBYN. 

Well  .  .  .  ? 

LADY  BEAUVEDERE. 

Waterloo  begins,  for  a  woman,  from  the  moment 
she  disappoints  her  mother  by  not  being  a  boy,  and  it 
ends  —  only  when  her  dearest  friend  drops  a  wreath 
on  her  coffin.     {Wipes  her  eyes.) 

ST.  ORBYN  {approaching  her). 
Dearest  G.,  what 's  the  matter  ? 

LADY  BEAUVEDERE. 

Edith  Easier  is  a  cat,  and  yet  she  was  my  brides- 
maid.    But  they  are  all  horrid  ! 

3 


34  THE   AMBASSADOR  [Act  I 

ST.  ORBYN  (watching  her  intently). 
What  about  ? 

LADY  BEAUVEDERE. 

About  Bill's  engagement. 

ST.  ORBYN. 

But    I    hear    Miss    Gainsborough    is    a   delightful 
creature. 

LADY  BEAUVEDERE. 

Ah,  some  woman  told  you  that ! 

ST.  ORBYN. 

Several  women    have  told   me  so.     Some  of  'em, 
too,  had  daughters  of  their  own ! 

LADY    BEAUVEDERE. 

Spiteful  things ! 

ST.  ORBYN. 

Well,  is  n't  Miss  Gainsborough  a  delightful  creature  ? 

LADY    BEAUVEDERE. 

Yes,  but  they  need  n't  go  about  telling  everybody, 
as  though  I  were  the  only  one  who  didn^t  think  so ! 

ST.  ORBYN. 

Whereas  I  gather  you  are  really  in  the  best  of  spirits 
over  the  affair ! 


Scene  i]         THE   AMBASSADOR  35 

LADY    BEAUVEDERE. 

Well,  I  do  like  her — in  a  way — but  dear  Bertie, 
she  has  faults.  .  .  . 

ST.  ORBYN. 

Faults !  I  adore  faults  !  I  can  never  find  too  many 
in  any  creature.  And  I  'm  sure  a  man  without  faults 
never  yet  pleased  the  women  ! 

LADY    BEAUVEDERE. 

Ah,  now  we  are  coming  to  the  point.  That 's  my 
worry. 

ST.  ORBYN. 

What  ? 

LADY    BEAUVEDERE. 

Bill  is  so  good,  and  such  a  dear  in  every  way.  .  .  . 

ST.  ORBYN. 

While  the  little  Gainsborough  has  perhaps  a  failing 
or  two.   .  .   . 

LADY  BEAUVEDERE  {eagerly). 
Ah,  then  you  have  heard  of  some.  .  .  . 

ST.  ORBYN. 

Not  at  all.  A  mere  guess  on  my  part.  I  hear 
her  praises  sung  in  every  quarter.  Really,  G.,  you 
ought  to  be  delighted. 


36  THE  AMBASSADOR  [Act  I 

LADY    BEAUVEDERE. 

I  am  ...  I  am  ...  ! 

ST.  ORBYN. 

The  girl  is  pretty,  her  father  was  a  distinguished 
soldier,  her  mother  died  before  she  could  become 
distinguished.  .  .  . 

LADY    BEAUVEDERE. 

Ah,  then  you  have  heard  .  .  . 

ST.  ORBYN. 

What? 

LADY    BEAUVEDERE. 

The  story  about  her  mother.  You  cannot  deceive 
me.     You  have  heard  the  story. 

ST.  ORBYN. 

I  have  nothing  to  tell  you^  but  you  have  everything  to 
tell  me. 

LADY  BEAUVEDERE. 

I  could  tell  you  a  good  deal  .  .  .  my  heart  is  too 
full  to  go  on. 

ST.  ORBYN. 

I  am  an  old  friend  —  you  can  cry  before  me  !  Be- 
sides, I  always  think  a  woman  is  all  the  prettier  for 
crying. 


Scene  i]        THE   AMBASSADOR  37 

LADY  BEAUVEDERE  {absently). 
Juliet's  mother  was  a  fool !     Every  one  says  so. 

ST.  ORBYN. 

No  —  no.  There  is  only  one  fool  in  the  whole  of 
creation  —  and  that  is — an  unmarried  man!  (Lady 
Beauvedere  gives  him  a  quick  glance.')  Why  do  I  keep 
single  ?  Perhaps  I  love  too  many  women  too  well  — 
or,  possibly,  too  many  too  little  ! 

LADY  beauvedere. 

I  wish  you  would  be  serious. 

ST.  ORBYN. 

Believe  me,  I  was  never  more  serious. 

LADY    beauvedere. 

I  feel  a  strong  temptation  to  tell  you  the  whole  story 
from  beginning  to  end.  .  .  . 

ST.  ORBYN. 

I  do  not  see  any  reason  why  you  should  resist  that 
temptation. 

LADY    beauvedere. 

You  would  think  me  ill-natured. 

ST.  ORBYN. 

Never. 


38  THE   AMBASSADOR  [Act  I 

LADY    BEAUVEDERE. 

Yes,  you  would. 

ST.  ORBYN. 

Have  your  own  way. 

LADY    BEAUVEDERE. 

You  are  so  provoking  to-day  that  ...  I  forget 
half  the  things  I  wanted  to  speak  of. 

ST.  ORBYN. 

Then  tell  me  how  Bill  speaks  of  his  intended. 

LADY    BEAUVEDERE. 

He  speaks  of  her  as  all  young  men  going  to  be  mar- 
ried do  speak  of  thexr  fiancees.  One  would  think  he 
had  secured  an  angel  of  a  girl ! 

ST.  ORBYN. 

Well,  and  has  n't  he  ? 

LADY    BEAUVEDERE. 

Of  course  not.    He  is  infatuated.  Juliet  is  not  the 

wife  for  a  young  man  in  official  life.  Bill  needs  some 

plain,  earnest  girl  who  would  devote  herself  solely  to 
his  interests. 

ST.  ORBYN. 

One,  in  fact,  who  would  please  the  women  by  boring 
all  the  men ! 


Scene  i]        THE   AMBASSADOR  39 


LADY  BEAUVEDERE. 


Well,  that  is  not  a  bad  sort  of  wife  for  a  young 
fellow  with  a  career  before  him. 

ST.  ORBYN. 

The  Powers  of  Europe  are  getting  sick  of  these 
devoted  wives  who  think  that  governments  can  be 
dissolved  by  inviting  the  right  people  to  a  dinner,  or 
the  wrong  people  to  a  crush ! 

LADY  BEAUVEDERE. 

I  know  you  are  thinking  of  Sarah  Hampshire  ! 

ST.  ORBYN. 

No,  I  ain't.  But,  all  the  same,  there  is  a  tremen- 
dous demand  now  for  simpletons  —  old  school  —  white 
muslin  —  rose  behind  the  ear  —  a  bit  of  black  velvet 
ribbon  round  the  throat  —  nice  throat  —  no  past,  no 
future  —  and  Heaven  our  home  !     Bless  'em  ! 

LADY  BEAUVEDERE. 

I  should  like  to  see  you  with  a  wife  like  that ! 

ST.  ORBYN. 

How  I  should  worship  her! 


40  THE   AMBASSADOR  [Act  I 

LADY  BEAUVEDERE. 

You  know  you  like  witty  women. 

ST.  ORBYN. 

I  love  'em,  the  darlings  !  but  not  to  marry.  Why, 
I  'm  a  wit  myself,  or  used  to  be  !  Imagine  it !  Two 
wits  with  but  a  single  epigram  —  two  jokes  that  pass 
for  one!  Good  Lord!  (^Rises  and  crosses  the  room.) 
Let  us  talk  about  Bill. 

LADY  BEAUVEDERE  (rising). 

I  want  him  to  be  happy.  .  .  . 

ST.  ORBYN  (drily). 
Quite  so ! 

LADY  BEAUVEDERE. 

My  fear  is  —  that  Juliet  does  not  love  the  poor 
boy. 

ST.  ORBYN. 

Ah,  that's  cynical! 

LADY  BEAUVEDERE. 

I  ask  you,  Bertie,  would  a  pretty,  young,  lively  girl 
care  naturally  for  poor  darling  Bill  ?     (Points  to  bust.) 


Scene  i]        THE  AMBASSADOR  41 

ST.  ORBY^f. 

Is  that  considered  a  good  likeness?  I  have  not 
seen  him  lately. 

LADY  BEAUVEDERE. 

If  it  were  Vivian  I  could  understand  it,  but  .  .  . 

Bill  is  .  .  .  not  taking,  in  fact,  he's  stodgy  !     (Crosses 

to  R.  and  turns  to  him  with  a  sentimental  air.)      Gwen 

Marleaze  has  loved  him  ever  since  they  played  together 

as  children. 

ST.  ORBYN  {approaching  her). 

There  's  nothing  like  force  of  habit  in  these  things  ! 
I  knew  a  man  who  hated  his  wife  when  he  married 
her,  and  after  twenty-five  years  of  wrangling,  he  would 
not  have  given  her  for  Venus  !     That 's  a  true  story  ! 

LADY  BEAUVEDERE  {sitting  on  StOol). 

But  do  you  think  dear  Gwen  is  interesting  enough 
to  quarrel  with  ? 

ST.  ORBYN. 

No  ...  I  shouldn't  call  her  a  first-class  fighting 
woman — and  fighting  certainly  does  appeal  to  the 
old  Viking  spirit  of  the  Anglo-Saxon  !  {^Seating  him' 
self.) 

LADY  BEAUVEDERE. 

That's  all  very  well,  but  this  gives  me  no  comfort 
about  Juliet. 


42  THE   AMBASSADOR  [Act  I 

ST.   ORBYN. 

You  are  vexed  because  I  have  not  attacked  her. 
Remember,  I  have  not  yet  laid  eyes  upon  the  poor 
thing. 

LADY  BEAUVEDERE. 

She  is  very  deep  —  quite  impenetrable. 

ST.  ORBYN. 

Nevertheless,  I  may .  not  condemn  a  girl  I  have 
never  met,  because  her  mother  —  whom  I  never  knew 
—  nearly  ran  away  with  a  man  —  I  never  saw  ! 

LADY  BEAUVEDERE. 

Nearly  ran  away  !  Why,  every  one  knows  that  if 
she  had  n't  been  thrown  from  her  horse  and  killed 
that  very  morning  —  on  her  way  to  meet  him  .  .  . 

ST.  ORBYN. 

I  never  attend  post-mortems  on  a  conscience ! 

(^Enter  Gwendolene.     St.   Orbyn   rises  and  crosses 
room ;  Lady  Beauvedere  approaches  St.  Orbyn.) 

gwendolene. 
Dear  Lady  Beauvedere,  the  doctor  is  here.     (Jd- 
vances  to  a  sofa.) 


Scene  i]        THE    AMBASSADOR  43 

ST.  ORBYN. 

Go  at  once,  Geraldine.  Don't  let  me  keep  you. 
I  have  one  or  two  letters  to  write. 

LADY  BEAUVEDERE  {preparing  a  seat  at  the  table). 
Write  them  here  —  at  my  table. 

ST.  ORBYN. 

I  make  it  a  rule  never  to  write  letters  at  another 
person's  desk. 

LADY  BEAUVEDERE. 

What  a  fancy  !     Why  not  ? 

ST.  ORBYN. 

Well,  once,  when  I  was  younger  and  more  expe- 
rienced than  I  am  now,  I  was  staying  in  the  country 
with  Lord  Glevering  when  he  was  Foreign  Secretary. 

LADY  BEAUVEDERE. 

Dear  Lord  Glevering ! 

ST.  ORBYN. 

I  sat  at  his  table  by  his  own  invitation,  and  I  wrote 
my  letters.  It  happened,  however,  that  without  per- 
ceiving my  mistake,  I  whipped  up  some  of  his  private 


44  THE   AMBASSADOR  [Act  I 

papers  which  happened  to  be  on  the  desk.  He  sought 
them  high  and  low,  the  servants  were  questioned,  the 
guests  were  perplexed.  Four  days  after  I  found  them 
in  my  own  portfolio  ! 

(GwENDOLENE,  during  this  speech^  moves  down  the  room 
with  "  The  Upper  Ten  "  paper.,  and  sits  on  sofa.) 

LADY  BEAUVEDERE. 

How  awkward ! 

ST.  ORBYN. 

Ingenuously,  I  returned  them  —  with  my  explana- 
tion !  To  this  day  I  do  not  know  what  the  documents 
were,  but  I  am  tolerably  convinced  that,  also  to  this 
day,  his  Lordship  thinks  I  did  a  very  neat  thing  in  a 
confoundedly  impudent  way ! 

LADY    BEAUVEDERE  {laughing). 

After  this  I  must  insist  on  your  using  the  table. 

ST.  ORBYN. 

Well,  if  you  insist,  I  must  obey,  but  —  I  have  a 
presentiment  —  a  strong  presentiment  —  that  history 
may  repeat  itself. 

{He  crosses  to  door.,  to  open  it  for  Lady  Beauvedere, 
who  goes  out.  He  returns  to  the  writing-table.,  without 
perceiving  Gwendolene,  who  is  reading  the  paper.) 


Scene  i]        THE   AMBASSADOR  45 

GWENDOLENE  {reading  aloud  to  herself). 

"A  marriage  is  arranged  and  will  shortly  take  place 
between  Sir  William  Beauvedere,  Baronet,  and  Juliet, 
youngest  daughter  of  the  late  Colonel  Gainsborough 
and  the  late  Lady  Georgina  Gainsborough.  All  friends 
will  join  in  wishing  the  young  diplomatist  and  his 
beautiful  young  bride"  .  .  .  {She  bursts  into  tears.) 
Oh,  I  cannot  wish  them  happiness  —  I  cannot ! 

ST.  ORBYN  {dropping  his  pen). 

What  is  that  ?  Is  she  crying  ?  {Advances  towards 
her.)     My  dear  child,  do  you  often  cry  ? 

GWENDOLENE  {apparently  confused). 

Oh,  no  ...  I  am  so  sorry  ...  it  is  nothing  .  .  . 
really,  nothing. 

ST.  ORBYN. 

I  knew  it  was  nothing.  I  said  to  myself — why 
should  she  cry  ?  A  charming  young  girl  with  pretty 
eyes,  devoted  friends,  and  [pointing  to  a  brooch  she  wears) 
even  the  moon  —  set  in  diamonds. 

GWENDOLENE. 

That  was  a  present  from  Bill  —  on  my  coming  of 
age.     I  always  wear  it. 


46  THE   AMBASSADOR  [Act  I 

ST.  ORBYN. 

He  must  feel  flattered. 

GWENDOLENE. 

I  don't  think  he  notices  it. 

ST.  ORBYN. 

Leave  it  off  for  a  few  days  .  .  .  and  try  the  rogue 
—  I  know  these  puppies. 

GWENDOLENE. 

I  am  sure  he  would  n't  notice  it.  He  is  so  ab- 
sorbed in  Miss  Gainsborough.    Have  you  met  her  yet? 

ST.  ORBYN. 

I  have  not  yet  had  that  pleasure.  When  does  she 
come  back  from  her  drive  ? 

GWENDOLENS. 

She  went  out  with  her  sister. 

ST.    ORBYN. 

Has  she  got  a  sister  ? 

GWENDOLENE. 

Oh,  yes,  her  sister,  the  Nun.  It  is  so  droll  to  think 
that  Juliet's  own  sister  should  have  chosen  a  life  of 
piety  and  sick  nursing. 


Scene  i]         THE   AMBASSADOR  47 

ST.  ORBYN. 

Why  droll  ? 

GWENDOLENE. 

Juliet  is  SO  different. 

ST.  ORBYN. 

And  is  n't  she  also  a  great  deal  younger  ? 

GWENDOLENE, 

True,  and  perhaps  the  elder  sister  wanted  to  clear 
the  way  for  Juliet !  I  heard  that  Colonel  Gainsborough 
could  not  afford  to  give  both  his  daughters  a  dowry  — 
it  was  small  enough,  goodness  knows  !  for  one,  so 
Alice,  being  the  plainer  of  the  two,  became  a  Nun. 
But  people  say  such  horrid  things,  don't  they  ? 

ST.  ORBYN. 

They  do. 

GWENDOLENE. 

But  I  am  interrupting  your  letters.  .  .  . 

ST.  ORBYN. 

Not  at  all,  but  I  asked  Vivian  to  come  to  my  room 
for  a  chat.  .  .  .  Remember  my  advice  about  the 
brooch,  and,  when  the  puppy  comes  back  .  .  .  don't 
wear  it. 


48  THE   AMBASSADOR  [Act  I 

GWENDOLENE. 

I  won't  forget. 
(St.  Orbyn  goes  out  through  conservatory.  Gwendo- 
LENE  approaches  bust^  and  Is  looking  at  it  when  Juliet 
enters  and,  without  perceiving  GwENDOLENE,  runs 
across  the  room,  opens  window  and  waves  her  handker- 
chief, laughing  loudly.) 

JULIET. 

{^Speaking  from  window  to  some  one  outside.) 
Ah,  you  are  first,  after  all !     But  that  is  as  it  should 
be.     Thanks  so  much.     I  am  all  right.     I  am  so 
grateful.  .  .  .  Nonsense !     How  very  absurd !     How 
can  you ! 

GWENDOLENE. 

Juliet ! 

JULIET. 

It  is  too  amusing.  I  met  Major  Lascelles  just  as 
I  was  getting  out  of  the  carriage.  It  seems  he  lives 
over  the  way  .  .  .  that  is  his  window.  .  .  .  (^IVaving 
again.) 

GWENDOLENE. 

Major  Lascelles  !     That  dreadful  man ! 

JULIET. 

What  do  you  mean?  He  isn't  dreadful.  He's 
charming!     He  is  one  of  papa's  best  friends.     I  have 


Scene  i]        THE   AMBASSADOR  49 

known  him  all  my  life  and  am  devoted  to  him.  (Waves 
again^  kisses  her  hand^  and  closes  the  window.) 
{The  two  girls  look  at   each   other   defiantly.      GwEN- 
DOLENE  is  standing  by  the  writing-table.     In  her  agi- 
tation she  turns  over  a  pack  of  cards.      They  all  fall  to 
the  floor'). 

JULIET  {springing  forward). 

Don't  touch  them.     I  '11  tell  your  fortune.     {She 
stoops  and  turns  them  over.)     I  see  good  news. 

GWENDOLEN E  {bitterly). 
For  me  ? 

JULIET, 

A  great  surprise. 

GWENDOLENE. 

A  sad  one  ?  .  .  . 

JULIET. 

No  ...  a  strange  one.    And  look  .  .  .  there 's  hope. 

GWENDOLENE. 

Where  ? 

JULIET. 

From  the  poor  two  of  spades ! 

GWENDOLENS. 

That's  the  most  trumpery  card  in  the  pack ! 


50  THE   AMBASSADOR  [Act  I 

JULIET. 

All  the  same,  she  brings  hope.     Oh,  Gwen,  I  see 
a  marriage. 

GWENDOLENE. 

That 's  your  own  ! 

JULIET. 

No,  not  mine. 

GWENDOLENE. 

Whose  marriage,  then  ?  {^Affecting  not  to  care.)  How 
silly ! 

JULIET. 

I  think  ...  it  must  be  yours ! 

GWENDOLENE  {mechanically). 

How  silly ! 

JULIET. 

And  the  man  is  thin  .  .  .  tall.  .  .  . 

GWENDOLENE. 

Oh  !     {Pretends  indifference.) 

JULIET. 

And  good-looking  .  .  .  rather  solemn.  .  .   . 

GWENDOLENS. 

What  card  is  that  ? 


Scene  i]         THE   AMBASSADOR  51 

JULIET. 

Oh,  that  ...  is  n't  on  the  card  ! 

GWENDOLENE. 

You  're  making  it  up  ! 

JULIET. 

I  'm  not.  His  hair  is  black;  his  eyes  are  dark;  his 
nose  is  narrow ;  his  chin  is  firm ;  he  knows  all  the 
long  words  in  every  language  ! 

GWENDOLENE. 

That's  absurd.  I  don't  know  a  man  at  all  like 
that.  .  .  . 

JULIET. 

One  always  marries  the  most  unlikely  person  !  Now 
I  must  go  .   .   .  but,  Gwen.   .   .  . 

GWENDOLENE. 

What? 

JULIET  (whispers  in  her  ear). 

You  '11  see  him  perhaps  at  the  ball !  {Picks  up  her 
parasol  and  runs  out.) 


52  THE   AMBASSADOR  [Act  I 

GWENDOLENE. 

(^Following  Juliet  «/>,  stops ;    then  with  sudden  feelings 
to  bust.) 
Oh,  did  you  hear  that  ?     Or,  if  you  heard,  would 
you  care  ?     {Hurls  the  cards  at  Sir  William's  bust.') 
Would  you  care  ? 

{As  she  throws  the  cards ^  enter  Jenkins  to  announce  the 
Princess  Vendramini.  He  hesitates  a  moment. 
Enter  the  Princess  Vendramini,  a  handsome.,  worldly 
person.,  haughty  in  bearing.,  but  well  bred;  emotional., 
rather  affected;  dressed  in  the  height  of  fashion.  She 
speaks  with  a  slight  Italian  accent^  expressing  each  syl- 
lable with  care.) 

JENKINS  {announcing). 

Madame  the  Princess  Vendramini. 

(Gwendolene  moves  down  l.  c,  looking  away.  Jen- 
kins takes  books  off  table  C,  and  lays  tea-cloth.  RoR- 
TER  enters  with  tea-tray.,  which  he  puts  on  table  c. 
Both  men  lift  the  table  a  little  further  down.  Thtn 
exeunt.) 

VENDRAMINI. 

Mon  ange  ! 

GWENDOLENE  {turning  to  the  Princess). 
Oh,  is  that  you,  Princess  ?     {Advances  in  tears.) 


Scene  i]         THE   AMBASSADOR  53 

VENDRAMiNi  {kissing  her  on  both  cheeks). 
How  pale  !     Did  I  startle  you  ? 

GWENDOLENE  (Jaughs  hysterically). 
I  was  losing  my  temper.     I  do  sometimes.  .   .  . 

VENDRAMINI. 

Incredible ! 

GWENDOLENE. 

I  am  but  human. 

VENDRAMINI. 

Then  why  quarrel  with  Nature  ?    We  live  to  love, 
to  suffer,  and  to  die  ! 

GWENDOLENE  {with  passion). 
I  think  I  shall  die  soon  —  because  I  cannot  die ! 

VENDRAMINI. 

( IVaving  her  hand  indefinitely  toward  the  bust.) 
Why  don't  you  go  away  from  these  associations  ? 

GWENDOLENS 

I  am  going  —  the  day  after  the  ball.      I   must  see 
him  once  more — once  more,  at  least! 


54  THE   AMBASSADOR  [Act  I 

VENDRAMINI. 

Then  when  you  meet  him  —  show  your  spirit.  Re- 
proach him,  threaten  him,  sneer  at  him,  laugh  at  him 
—  exasperate  him! 

GWENDOLENE. 

That  is  not  Lord  St.  Orbyn's  advice. 

VENDRAMINI  {biting  her  lip). 
Ah,  then  he  has  arrived  ? 

GWENDOLENE. 

Yes.  And  I  believe  that  he  is  more  fond  of  Lady 
Beauvedere  than  people  think.  I  should  n't  wonder 
if,  after  all  .  .  . 

VENDRAMINI  (agitated). 

I  say  it  is  out  of  the  question.  He  must  n't  marry 
Geraldine  ...  it  would  be  —  oh,  the  word  —  give 
me  the  word ! 

GWENDOLENE. 

Madness  ? 

VENDRAMINI. 

No,  sentimentality  !  He  may  marry  for  hate,  for 
money,  for  power,  for  independence,  for  despair,  but 
never,  never  for  sentimentality.  I  must  stop  this. 
{Rises  and  paces  the  room.) 


Scene  i]        THE   AMBASSADOR  55 

GWENDOLENE. 

How  can  you  ? 

VENDRAMINI  {agitated'). 

We  must  distract  him.  Any  woman  rather  than 
Geraldine  —  any  woman  ! 

GWENDOLENE. 

But  why  ? 

VENDRAMINI  {returning  to  c). 

Because  we  have  both  known  him  for  the  same 
number  of  years  ! 

GWENDOLENE  {softly). 

Dear  Princess  ! 

VENDRAMINI. 

I  am  jealous. 

GWENDOLENE. 

I  am  so  sorry  ! 

VENDRAMINI. 

I  could  bear  that^  but  she  has  not  the  kindness,  the 
tact,  the  savoir  /aire  and  savoir  vivre  to  show  the 
smallest  jealousy  of  mef     It  is  insulting! 

GWENDOLENE. 

That 's  the  hardest  part ! 


56  THE   AMBASSADOR  [Act  I 

VENDRAMINI. 

Naturally.  Oh,  if  I  could  see  her  jealous  !  Is  there 
no  one  ?  St.  Orbyn  is  capricious,  fastidious  to  a  degree 
—  past  all  calculations. 

GWENDOLENE. 

There  is  no  one  new  or  interesting  here  —  except 
Juliet. 

VENDRAMINI  (approaching  to  gwendolene). 

Of  course!  But  of  course  !  Juliet.  An  inspira- 
tion !      (Sinks  into  a  reverie.^ 

GWENDOLENS  (frightened^. 
You  won't  do  anything  .   .   .  anything  ? 

VENDRAMINI. 

Mon  ange^  leave  all  to  me.  (Crosses  to  L.  and  pauses.) 
Shed  no  more  tears  and  go.  (Gwendolene  hesitates.") 
Go.      (Stamps  her /hot.) 

[^Exit  Gwendolene. 

(The  Princess  laughs  contemptuously^  then  stands  listen- 
ing as  though  for  a  footstep.  She  moves  forward  smiling 
as  the  door  opens  and  St.  Orbyn  enters.) 

ST.  orbyn  (astonished). 
My  dear  Princess !     I  know  now  that  prayers  are 
answered ! 


Scene  i]         THE   AMBASSADOR  57 

VENDRAMINI. 

'     Why  ? 

ST.  ORBYN. 

Are  you  not  in  Paris  when  I  am  in  Paris  ? 

VENDRAMINI. 

We  both  come,  I  fear,  on  the  same  mission ! 

ST.  ORBYN. 

Amazing  creature !    Are  you  arranging  another  war  ? 

VENDRAMINI. 

In  a  way  —  yes.  I  have  come  to  offer  my  con- 
gratulations on  a  friend's  engagement ! 

ST.  ORBYN. 

Oh,  that  marriage !  {She  shakes  her  head.)  What 
do  you  think  ? 

VENDRAMINI. 

Mon  Dieu  !      (Goes  up  to  table  and  pours  out  tea.) 

ST.    ORBYN. 

Ah,  I  feared  you  would  take  that  view  —  but  I  like 
a  man  who  makes  a  fool  of  himself  about  a  woman. 
{Approaches  the  tea-table.) 

VENDRAMINI. 

How  you  must  hate  yourself! 


58  THE   AMBASSADOR  [Act  I 

ST,  ORBYN. 

Why? 

VENDRAMINI. 

Because  you  merely  let  women  make  fools  of 
themselves  about  you  ! 

ST.  ORBYN. 

Ah,  no,  those  days  are  over,  dearest  Princess.  I 
had  my  faults,  but  now,  in  these  matters,  I  am  a  child 
{he  hands  her  tea) —  any  ome  could  deceive  me  —  even 
you.     Try ! 

VENDRAMINI. 

Oh  no  !  I  loved  you  once,  but  never  again  !  It 
gave  me  three  wrinkles,  and  no  man  on  earth  is  worth 
even  one. 

ST.  ORBYN  {piqued). 

Well,  to  flirt  with  spirit,  one  must  be  either  too 
young  to  think  or  too  wise  to  trust  oneself  to  think. 

VENDRAMINI. 

I  halt  between  the  two  conditions.  I  am  not  yet 
old,  and  not  yet  wholly  wise.  {Sits  in  chair  next  piano 
drinking  tea.\ 

ST.  ORBYN. 

Amazing  creature !  Women  should  never  be  either 
old  or  wise.  They  were  born  to  make  men  happy 
and  each  other  jealous ! 


Scene  i]        THE    AMBASSADOR  59 

VENDRAMINI. 

(^Handing  him  her  cup^  which  he  places  on  tea-table.) 
No.     They  were  born  to  trust  —  and  to  be  con- 
founded !     Will  you  never  regard  me  seriously  ? 

ST.  ORBYN  (putting  his  own  cup  on  table). 
I  can't. 

VENDRAMINI. 

Why  not? 

ST.  ORBYN. 

Because  you  make  me  sad,  and  I  'm  only  serious  .  .  . 

VENDRAMINI  {eagerly). 
When  ? 

ST.  ORBYN. 

When  I  'm  joking. 

VENDRAMINI  {agitated  and  rising). 
Oh,  you  only  see  me  in  my  lighter  moods,  listen- 
ing to  scandal,  talking  nonsense,  grinning  at  this  one's 
disappointment,  sighing  at  that  one's  success,  civil  to 
men  whom  I  distrust,  distant  to  others  I  dare  not  — 
like  !      {Going  up  to  him.) 

ST.  ORBYN. 

Who  is  the  fortunate  man  who  has  aroused  your 
discretion  ? 


6o  THE   AMBASSADOR  [Act  I 

VENDRAMINI. 

Cruel.  .  .  .  But  we  are  forgetting  our  poor  friends. 

ST.  ORBYN. 

An  unpremeditated  kindness  on  my  part,  I  assure 
you  ! 

VENDRAMINI. 

Do  you  know,  I  have  a  little  plan  by  which  we 
may  help  them. 

ST.  ORBYN. 

As  unscrupulous  as  ever. 

VENDRAMINI. 

Listen.  This  girl  —  Juliet  Gainsborough  —  is 
young,  impressionable,  ambitious.  It  would  not  hurt 
you  to  distract  her  attention,  and  she  —  no  wiser  than 
the  rest  of  her  sex  —  would  be  dazzled. 

ST.  ORBYN. 

Act  I.,  she  is  dazzled  —  and  now  Act  II.  ? 

VENDRAMINI. 

Hoping  for  a  better  match,  she  breaks  off  her  en- 
gagement with  dear  Bill. 


Scene  i]        THE   AMBASSADOR  6i 

ST.    ORBYN. 

Act  III.  ? 

VENDRAMINI. 

Well,  you  will  be  like  the  wise  knight  in  the  poem  — 
"  Adieu  for  evermore 
My  Love! 
And  adieu  for  evermore  I  " 

ST.  ORBYN. 

Oh,  I  could  n't  find  the  heart  to  do  it ! 

VENDRAMINI. 

Heart  is  not  required.       You  have  done  nothing 
else  all  your  life ! 

ST.  ORBYN  {stopping  her). 
Do  you  defy  me  —  do  you  dare  me  ? 

VENDRAMINI. 

I  could  never  have  believed  you  so  backward  in  a 
little  intrigue. 

ST.  ORBYN  {seized  by  the  idea). 

Gad  !   I  '11  do  it ! 

VENDRAMINI. 

But  what  ? 


62  THE   AMBASSADOR  [Act  I 


ST.  ORBYN. 


If  the  girl 's  not  worldly,  she  will  cohie  out  of  the 
adventure  with  flying  colours.  Why,  now  I  think  of 
it,  I  may  even  render  her  a  service  by  proving  to  you 
all  that  she  is  sincerely,  deeply,  wholly  in  love  with 
that  prodigious  bore  —  her  inestimable  Intended  ! 


VENDRAMINI. 

But,  if,  on  the  other  hand,  she  is  worldly  —  as  I 
think  her.  ' 

ST.  ORBYN. 

In  that  case,  we  shall  both  know  how  to  wish  each 
other  Goodbye.  I  shall  press  her  hand.  I  shall  say  — 
"  For  the  last  time."  .  .  .  She  will  look  at  me.  She 
will  be  clever  enough  to  smile.  I  shall  be  clever 
enough  to  sigh.  She  will  control  a  sob  —  I  shall  con- 
trol a  grin  !  I  shall  wish  her  —  sincerely  —  every 
happiness.  She  will  wish  me  —  sincerely  —  to  the 
devil !     And  there,  dearest  lady,  the  matter  will  end. 

VENDRAMINI. 

Oh,  the  wickedness  of  men  ! 

ST.  ORBYN. 

Oh,  the  perfidy  of  women  ! 


Scene  i]        THE    AMBASSADOR  63 

VENDRAMINI. 

Albert. 

ST.  ORBYN. 

Yes,  Rosamund  ? 

VENDRAMINI. 

Has  the  wind  ruffled  my  hair  ?  (St.  Orbyn  draws 
near  and  examines  her  face  and  coiffure  very  carefully  but 
without  emotion.^      Well  ? 

ST.  ORBYN  {seriously). 
1  think  it's  all  right.     {Turns  away  from  her.) 

VENDRAMINI. 

Have  I  changed  much  since  I  was  a  girl  ? 

ST.    ORBYN. 

Not  a  bit. 

VENDRAMINI. 

Don't  you  think  I  'm  a  good  deal  paler  ? 

ST.   ORBYN. 

I  hate  a  blowsy  complexion.     Yours  was  always 

delicate. 

VENDRAMINI  {after  a  pause). 

Have  n't  you  noticed  that  the  expression  of  my 
mouth  has  altered?  Some  people  say  it  has  grown 
severe! 


64  THE   AMBASSADOR  [Act  I 

ST.  ORBYN. 

Let  me  see.  No.  I  should  never  have  dreamed 
of  calling  it  severe.  A  shade  malicious,  perhaps.  .  .  . 
{Looks  at  it  in  silence.) 

VENDRAMiNi  {petulantly). 

Oh,  Albert!  you  are  too  .  .  .  {Crosses  the  room  and 
meets  Juliet,  who  enters  with  a  telegram  in  her  hand^ 
which  she  is  reading  evidently  with  much  concern.  She 
greets  the  Princess  mechanically.    St.  Orbyn  advances.) 

JULIET  {crossing  to  the  princess). 

How  do  you  do.  Princess  ?  Does  Lady  Beauvedere 
know  that  you  are  here  ?  {Going  up  to  St.  Orbyn.) 
This  must  be  Lord  St.  Orbyn.  I  am  Juliet  Gains- 
borough.    May  I  give  you  some  tea  ? 

ST.  ORBYN  {much  Struck). 
Thank  you,  I  have  had  my  tea. 

JULIET  {looking  at  telegram). 

This  is  from  Bill.  {Crossing  to  table.)  He  has 
got  his  leave  earlier  than  he  expected.  He  is  now  on 
his  way  from  Berlin  to  Paris.  {Seems  petrified  with 
astonishment^ 


Scene  i]        THE   AMBASSADOR  65 

VENDRAMINI  (aside  to  ST.  orbyn). 

What  do  you  think  of  her?  (He  is  too  absorbed  to 
reply.) 

JULIET. 

I  suppose  Bill  would  not  get  any  letter  that  was 
posted  yesterday. 

VENDRAMINI. 

Of  course  not.  But  when  he  sees  you  he  will  not 
want  letters. 

JULIET, 

But  the  letter  would  be  forwarded  ? 

VENDRAMINI. 

Of  course. 

JULIET  (repeating). 

Oh,  yes,  .  .  .  (Seats  herself.)  It  will  be  forwarded. 
Will  you  excuse  me  for  a  moment  ?  I  must  send  for 
my  sister.     (Writes.) 

ST.  ORBYN  (looking  at  JULIET). 

So  that  is  Juliet ! 

VENDRAMINI. 

Yes  .  .  .  are  you  disappointed  ? 

ST.  ORBYN  (firmly  but  very  quietly). 
Princess  .  .  . 

5 


66  THE   AMBASSADOR  [Act  1 

VENDRAMINI. 

Well  ? 

ST.  ORBYN  {with  quiet  force). 

If  I  should  ever  say  anything  to  her  ...  if  I  should 
ever  lead  her  to  suppose  that  she  was  more  to  me 
than  other  women  .  .  .  {with  a  pause)  ...  I  say 
.  .   ,if.  .   . 

VENDRAMINI. 

Yes?  .  .  .  Yes? 

ST.  ORBYN  {with  point). 
If  I  said  so  —  remember  this :   it  would  be  in  ear- 
nest.    It  would  be  for  me — all  the  world  to  nothing. 
{Quickly)  I  say   .   .   .   {after  a  pause)  ...if. 

JULIET  {to  herself). 
Of  course  it  would  be  forwarded. 

VENDRAMINI  {to  ST.  ORBYN). 

What  is  the  matter  ?     Is  this  your  first  love  ? 

ST.  ORBYN  {staring). 
No  —  my  last ! 

End  of  First  Act 


THE   SECOND    ACT 

Scene:  The  conservatory  at  Lady  Beauvedere's.  Dim  lights. 
A  fountain  (fwith  goldfish^  playing  in  the  centre.  Server al 
couples  in  the  conservatory.  As  curtain  rises,  'valse  music 
is  heard.  Some  of  the  couples  go  back  to  the  ball-room.  Ball- 
room seen  beyond.  A  small  group  of  chaperons  are  near  the 
front  of  the  stage.  Lady  Beauvedere,  beautifully  dressed y 
<very  elegant,  adorned  voith  fenu  pearls,  &c. ,  stands  by  foun- 
tain. The  Duchess  of  Hampshire  in  mawve  brocade, 
lace  lappets,  diamonds,  &c. ;  Lady  Basler,  Lady  Ull- 
weather,  Mrs.  Dasney,  ivith  an  enormous  tiara,  'very 
gorgeous,  are  seated  on  cane  sofa  and  rout  seats. 

LADY   BEAUVEDERE. 

{^Discovered  l.  C.  ;   then  crossing  in  front  of  fountain.) 

I  think,  perhaps,  we  ought  to  go  back  to  our  posts. 

{Looks  about  her  anxiously.) 

LADY  ULLWEATHER. 

{A  languid.,  thin  person  with  a  drawl.) 
You  will  never  spare  yourself  or  others,  Geraldine. 


68  THE   AMBASSADOR  [Act  II 

LADY  BEAUVEDERE  {vaguely). 

Do  you  know  ...  I  am  afraid  ...  I  really  must 
...  if  you  don't  mind.  {She  goes  out  towards  ball-room^ 
peering  about  as  if  looking  for  some  one.) 

LADY  BASLER  {to  LADY   ULLWEATHER). 

Well,  what  do  you  think  of  the  bride-elect  ? 

LADY  ULLWEATHER. 

I  really  forget.  One  meets  so  many  women  now- 
adays. 

DUCHESS  {seated  on  a  couch). 

Oh,  how  true  that  is  !  If  they  're  dull,  I  call  on 
'em  during  Lent ;  if  they  're  pretty,  I  keep  'em  for 
my  parties  at  the  end  of  the  season ;  if  they  're  rich, 
I'm  civil  to  'em  all  the  year  round;  and  if  they're 
clever,  I  avoid  'em  like  the  plague! 

LADY    BASLER. 

How  well  dear  Gwen  Marleaze  is  bearing  the  dis- 
appointment !      I  admire  her  so  much. 

LADY    ULLWEATHER, 

So  do  I.  {Drowsily.)  What  with  her  long,  long 
arms  —  some  people  admire  an  arm  like  a  pipe-stem 
—  her  amazing  corpse-like  complexion,  and  her  large, 
mysterious  mouth,  I  think  her  quite  too  fascinating  ! 


Scene  i]        THE   AMBASSADOR  69 

LADY    BASLER. 

Oh,  you  wicked  creature ! 

LADY  ULLWEATHER. 

Wicked  ?  I  assure  you  I  admire  her  excessively. 
It  is  so  difficult  to  describe  a  woman  fairly.  Words 
are  so  bald.  By  the  bye,  Edith,  I  did  not  see  you  at 
the  Baron's  wedding. 

LADY    BASLER. 

I  never  go  where  I  am  not  invited,  but  then  /  am 
peculiar. 

DUCHESS  (very  kindly). 

Not  when  one  knows  you,  dear. 

LADY  BASLER  {after  a  pause). 

I  cannot  think  why  St.  Orbyn  does  not  settle  down 
and  marry  poor  old  Rosamund  Vendramini.  Hers  is 
a  real  affection. 

LADY  VANRINGHAM. 

And  if  they  love  each  other,  what  does  it  matter  to 
anybody  ? 

DUCHESS  {to  LADY  BASLER). 

My  dear  Edith,  men  of  St.  Orbyn's  turn  of  mind 
don't  want  affection,  they  want  amusement. 


70  THE   AMBASSADOR  [Act  II 

LADY   BASLER. 

Then  why  on  earth  don't  he  marry  Gerald'me  ? 

MRS.   DASNEY. 

Good  Heavens !  Rosamund  could  n't  stand  that ! 
She  sooner  would  send  him  after  Juliet  Gainsborough. 
{The  Duchess  looks  at  her;  all  stare  at  her  for  speak- 
ing —  hut  she  goes  on  undaunted^  I  wish  he  would  fancy 
one  of  my  poor  sisters,  but  he  won't  (sighs)  —  he  is 
too  poetical. 

LADY   BASLER. 

(Addressing  Duchess  and  ignoring  Mrs.  Dasney.) 
But  he  is  not  a  poet  in  any  ordinary  sense,  dear 
Duchess.  I  mean  to  say,  he  would  n't  be  called  poetical 
in  his  tastes.  I  once  spent  a  day  in  the  country  with 
three  poets  .  .  .  real  poets  .  .  .  professionals  .  .  .  you 
know  the  sort  of  thing  ?  I  have  clean  forgotten  what 
they  said^  but  I  know  we  had  lumps  of  beef  and 
dreadful  pickles  for  supper  ! 

duchess. 
How  unwholesome  !     {To  Mrs.  Dasney,  u'/'o /?^5 
risen.)     What's  the  matter?      Are  you  leaving? 

MRS.  dasney  {crossing  room). 
I  'm  rather  tired.     You  see,  I  dined  here  !      [^Exit. 


Scene  i]         THE    AMBASSADOR  71 

DUCHESS. 

(Music  stops.     Looks  at  Lady  Basler,  sighs^  then  rises 
as  though  very  tired. ^ 

I  suppose  we  must  go. 

(Duchess  goes  up  r.  of  fountain  with  Lady  Vanring- 
HAM.  Lady  Ullweather  and  Lady  Basler  go 
up  L.  of  fountain.  Then  all  solemnly  walk  out  abreast. 
Enter  St.  Orbyn  and  Juliet.) 

ST.  ORBYN. 

Stay  a  little  longer.  If  this  is  Bill's  dance,  let  him 
find  you. 

JULIET. 

Yes.  I  wonder  .  .  .  (^pauses)  .  .  .  Don't  you  think 
that  letters  which  were  sent  to  Berlin  on  Saturday 
and  missed  him  ought  to  be  here  now? 

ST.  ORBYN. 

I  should  think  so.  Why  ?  {Jealously^  Are  you 
still  worrying  about  that  letter  ? 

JULIET  {confused^. 
Oh  no,  but  —  I  wish  he  had  it. 


72  THE   AMBASSADOR  [Act  II 

ST.   ORBYN. 

Don't  let  us  think  of  Bill  and  his  letters  now.  This 
is  my  hour. 

JULIET  {as  they  stroll  toward  the  fountain). 
It  is  certainly  most  pleasant  here  and  cool  .  .  . 

ST.  ORBYN  {looking  at  her'). 
As  an  unplucked  rose  ! 

JULIET. 

I  have  been  reading  your  poems.  They  are  very 
pretty,  but  each  one  of  your  two  hundred  and  fifty 
sonnets  is  dedicated  to  a  different  woman. 

ST.  ORBYN. 

Not  at  all.  It  is  the  same  woman,  but  she  has 
two  hundred  and  fifty  different  moods ! 

JULIET. 

Was  she  pretty  —  and  did  you  love  her  very  much? 

ST.  ORBYN. 

Inexpressibly  ! 

JULIET. 

How  unfortunate ! 


Scene  i]        THE   AMBASSADOR  73 

ST.  ORBYN. 

Why? 

JULIET. 

Because,  in  that  case,  she  could  never  know  .  .  . 

ST.  ORBYN. 

Ah,  she  knows  —  she  must  know  —  she  cannot 
doubt  it. 

JULIET. 

How  forward  of  her! 

ST.   ORBYN. 

Why  forward? 

JULIET. 

I  think  girls  find  it  so  hard,  as  a  rule,  to  believe 
that  they  are  really  loved  ...  by  the  man  they  .  .  . 
might  {meets  his  glance)  .  .  .  respect. 

ST.  ORBYN. 

You  guess  then  that  she  is  a  girlF 

JULIET. 

Oh  no;  I  was  merely  speaking  —  as  a  girl  —  abou' 
girls  —  in  the  vaguest  way  (r-emoving  gloves). 

ST.  ORBYN. 

Do  you  like  goldfish  ? 


74  THE   AMBASSADOR  [Act  11 

JULIET. 

Yes,  but  I  often  wonder  what  they  were  made  for ! 

ST.  ORBYN. 

Why,  to  look  pretty  and  slip  through  our  fingers  — 
as  women  do. 

JULIET. 

I  am  afraid  you  have  a  hard  opinion  of  women. 

ST.  ORBYN  {after  a  pause). 
Yesterday,  when  1  was  returning  from  my  ride  in 
the   Bois,  I  looked  up  and  said  —  that  is  either  her 
face  or  a  lily  in  the  window ! 

JULIET. 

I  was  only  standing  there  scattering  cake  to  the 
birds. 

ST.  ORBYN. 

Happy  birds  to  have  the  unhappy  cake  dropped  by 
those  beautiful  hands ! 

JULIET. 

Perhaps  it  was  a  lily  in  the  window ! 

ST.  ORBYN. 

And  that  very  lily,  I  swear,  is  the  one  thing  on 
earth  I  ever  loved,  or  could  love  —  that  I  ever  be- 
lieved in,  or  could  believe  in. 


Scene  i]         THE   AMBASSADOR  75 

JULIET.  * 

So  much  feeling  .  .  .  just  for  a  flower  ? 


ST.  ORBYN. 

How  can  I  praise  more  plainly  what  I  love  so 
deeply  —  so  desperately  —  so  wrongly  —  and  so 
rightly  ? 

JULIET  {surprised). 
Wrongly  ? 

ST.  ORBYN. 

Yes  .  .  .  because  .  .  .  because,  having  found  this 
star  of  stars.  But  why  should  the  star  care  for  the 
moth  ? 

JULIET. 

Is  she  a  star  ijow  ? 

ST.  ORBYN. 

Yes  ...  she  is  everything !  So,  having  found  her, 
I  propose  to  keep  her  against  all  comers  —  all  pre- 
tended owners  —  against  the  whole  world  ! 

JULIET. 

I  don't  suppose  ...  the  flower  ...  I  mean,  the  star 
...  I  mean,  the  girl  .  .  .  would  mind  .  .  ,  (Moves 
down  L.,  then  turns  towards  St.  Orbyn.) 


76  THE   AMBASSADOR  [Act  II 

ST.  ORBYN  {following  her). 

Ah,  Juliet,  I  must  love  you  in  any  case  .  .  .  but, 
may  I  ?  {She  turns  toward  chair.)  I  wish  ...  I  dare 
not  say  all  I  wish  .  .  .  yet,  you  will  guess.  This  en- 
gagement to  Bill  is  a  mistake  ...  an  error  ...  a 
crime !  You  don't  .  .  .  you  cannot  love  him.  .  .  . 
{IVatches  her  face.) 

JULIET  {agitated). 

I  think  ...  I  don't  wish  to  love  any  one.  .  .  .  Love 
makes  me  afraid.  .  .  .  Oh,  I  was  happier  before ! 

ST.    ORBYN. 

Before  what  ? 

JULIET. 

Before  .  .  .  when  I  was  only  wondering  what  it 
meant. 

ST.  ORBYN. 

Do  you  know  now? 

JULIET. 

{Speaking  rather  to  herself  than  to  St.  Orbyn). 
I   .   .   .  guess  .   •   .  and  I  say  —  no,  no !     Let  me 
be  as  I  was.     Let  me  dream  —  dreams  were  best. 

ST.  ORBYN. 

All  my  life  I  have  been  waiting  to  meet  you  .  .  . 
looking  out  for  you  .  .  .  hoping,  despairing,  and  again 


Scene  i]        THE   AMBASSADOR  77 

hoping.  At  last  you  come,  and  not  too  late.  You 
never  shall  belong  to  any  one  else  !  (Taking  her  hand.) 
Juliet,  would  you  mind  if  you  did  n't? 

JULIET. 

Your  love  is  one  of  the  things  I  would  most  wish 
for  .  .   .  but  these  things  never  happen.    (^Rises.) 

ST.  ORBYN  (following  her). 

It  has  happened.  I  do  love  you.  I  have  known 
you  but  five  days,  yet  my  destiny  is  in  these  little 
hands.     (Kisses  them.) 

JULIET. 

Only  five  days ! 

ST.  ORBYN. 

And  the  whole  world  was  made  in  six !  I  recog- 
nised you  at  first  sight.  This,  I  said,  is  the  one  .  .  . 
(taking  both  her  hands)  .  .   .  this  is  my  future  wife ! 

JULIET  (^withdrawing  both  her  hands). 
Oh,  wait  —  wait  —  are  you  in  earnest? 

ST.  ORBYN  (passionately). 
Cannot  you  see  that  I  mean  every  word  ? 


78  THE   AMBASSADOR  [Act  II 

JULIET. 

You  may  mean  them  —  for  the  minute  —  but  1 
must  remember  them  —  for  ever  !  You  see,  there  's 
a  difference ! 

ST.  ORBYN. 

My  dearest  Heart !  I  swear  that  my  whole  life 
depends  now  upon  your  answer. 

JULIET  [taking  and  pressing  his  hand  to  her  cheek). 

Oh,  how  happy  I  could  be,  if  I  might  be  I  {Holds 
his  hand.)  I  shall  think  of  you  often  —  and  that 
means  —  always ! 

ST.  ORBYN. 

What  is  this  ?     Not  tears  ?  .  .  .  Why  tears  ? 

JULIET. 

Ton  must  n't  think  of  me.  I  am  poor  and  unimpor- 
tant. I  have  no  great  relatives.  The  world  would 
call  it  a  wild  marriage.  The  world  would  laugh  at 
you  and  strike  me  !  Oh,  I  have  met  the  world  so 
often  during  the  last  two  weeks. 

ST.  ORBYN. 

Not  the  world  —  but  his  scarecrows ! 

JULIET. 

Oh,  I  should  be  your  stumbling-block ! 


Scene  i]         THE   AMBASSADOR  79 

ST.  ORBYN. 

My  stumbling-block  !  You  mean  my  crown  —  the 
prize  of  life !     These  other  notions  are  fancies. 

JULIET. 

They  are  not  fancies.  What  did  people  think  about 
my  engagement  to  Sir  William  .''  And  they  would  say 
of  you  —  St.  Orbyn  has  married  at  last,  —  a  little  thing 
without  a  shilling ;  she  's  young  and  silly ;  she 's  a 
blight  on  his  career ! 

ST.  ORBYN. 

Who  cares  ?  Dearest,  every  man  —  even  the  most 
cynical — has  one  enthusiasm  —  he  is  earnest  about 
some  one  thing ;  the  all-round  trifler  does  not  exist. 
If  there  is  a  skeleton  —  there  is  also  an  idol  in  the 
cupboard !  That  idol  may  be  ambition,  love,  re- 
venge, the  turf,  the  table  —  but  it  is  there.  Now  / 
am  flippant. 

JULIET. 

Are  you  ? 

ST.  ORBYN. 

At  times.  But,  on  my  honour,  I  have  it  in  me  to 
be  scorched,  snubbed,  and  shelved  for  the  sake  of  the 
woman  I  loved.  (Rises.)  As  for  the  world  —  the 
less  a  man   considers  it,  the  better  it  will  treat  him. 


8o  THE   AMBASSADOR  [Act  II 

That 's  my  experience,     I  will  please  it  if  possible, 
but  my  own  heart  at  any  rate ! 

JULIET. 

Oh,  you  speak  like  my  dreams ! 

(^Enter  Sir  William.      He  is  pompous^  well-bred^  evi- 
dently good-natured,  and  self-satisfied,) 

SIR   WILLIAM. 

Oh,  there  you  are!  {He  shows  no  sort  of  suspicion. 
To  Juliet.)  I  think  this  must  be  our  dance.  I  am 
sorry  to  be  so  late,  but  a  host,  on  these  occasions,  is 
expected  to  be  here,  there,  and  everywhere.  I  know 
you  will  forgive  me. 

JULIET, 

Oh,  of  course.  I  ...  I  ...  did  n't  really  ex- 
pect you,  but  .  .  .  Oh,  see  .  .  .  {holding  up  her  sash), 
when  I  was  playing  with  the  goldfish  I  splashed  some 
water  on  my  sash. 

SIR  WILLIAM. 

How  careless  ) 

JULIET  {crosses  the  room'). 

I  am  afraid  I  must  change  it  before  I  go  back  to 
the  ballroom.  I  sha'n't  be  long.  Do  you  mind  ? 
(St.  Orbyn  hands  her  her  gloves.) 


Scene  i]         THE   AMBASSADOR  8i 

SIR  WILLIAM  {wiping  his  brow). 

There 's  no  hurry.  I  shall  be  glad  to  have  a  little 
chat  with  St.  Orbyn.  (Juliet  goes  out.)  I  have  not 
had  a  moment  with  you  since  I  arrived.  I  always  say, 
if  you  want  to  see  your  friends,  meet  'em  at  some  one 
else's  house  —  not  your  own  !  {Moves  over  to  sofa.) 
Between  ourselves,  I  am  very  worried. 

ST.  ORBYN. 

Why? 

SIR  WILLIAM  {seating  himself). 

I  'm  in  a  cursed  hard  position. 

ST.  ORBYN. 

How  amusin' ! 

SIR  WILLIAM. 

Oh  no ;  nothing  is  amusing  that  can  lead  to  hys- 
terics and  fainting  fits!  You  don't  know  what  it  is 
to  have  two  or  three  women  wrangling  about  one. 

ST.  ORBYN. 

No !     Perhaps  not ! 

SIR  WILLIAM. 

Mama  is  drinking  quinine  by  the  pint,  and  Gwen- 
dolene  is  shooting  out  her  eyes  at  me  at  every  turning. 
What  is  to  be  done  ? 


82  THE    AMBASSADOR  [Act  II 

ST.  ORBYN. 

That 's  the  very  thing,  no  doubt,  that  everybody  is 
asking. 

SIR  WILLIAM. 

I  'm  devoted,  as  you  know,  to  mama.  She  has 
sacrificed  her  whole  life  to  Vivian  —  and  myself.  She 
was  left  a  widow  at  nineteen. 

ST.  ORBYN. 

And  what  a  pretty  creature  she  was  too ! 

SIR  WILLIAM. 

She  might  have  married  again  {with  a  long  look  at 
St.  Orbyn)  .  .  .  but  she  did  n't.  Well,  on  one  side 
I  see  this  noble  self-sacrifice,  on  the  other  I  am  driven 
to  ask  myself  whether  this  affection  for  Juliet  is  a 
passing  and  violent  fancy.  You  will  own  that  Juliet 
has  charm  ? 

ST.  ORBYN. 

Yes   .   .   .  great  charm  ! 

SIR  WILLIAM. 

But  the  women  —  my  stepmother's  friends,  women 
of  high  breeding  and  culture  and  experience  —  seem  to 
detect  in  Juliet  a  certain  note  of  satire  —  as  though 
she  rather  laughed  at  one  —  which  they  say  augurs  ill 


Scene  i]         THE    AMBASSADOR  83 

for  married  happiness.      Now  I  cannot  disguise  from 
myself  .  .  , 

ST.  ORBYN. 

No,  disguise  nothing ! 

SIR  WILLIAM. 

Juliet  has  ideas.     She  says  she  would  die  for  them. 

ST.  ORBYN. 

Why  not  ?  To  die  for  one's  great  ideas  is  glorious 
—  and  easy.  The  horror  is  to  outlive  them.  That  is 
our  worst  capability. 

SIR  WILLIAM  {annoyed  at  the  interruption). 
Now,  I  ask  you,  as  a  man  of  the  world,  do  you  be- 
lieve in  the  general  workablenesss  of  love  at  first  sight. 

ST.  ORBYN. 

I  've  known  instances  of  it  .  .  .  among  my  own 
intimate  acquaintance,  in  fact!  One  cannot  dogma- 
tise on  the  subject.  Sometimes  it  answers,  and  some- 
times—  it  doesn't ! 

SIR  WILLIAM. 

I  suppose  it  is  just  one  of  those  things  which  happen. 

ST.  ORBYN. 

If  it  turns  out  badly^  no  one  talks  of  anything  else. 


84  THE   AMBASSADOR  [Act  II 

SIR  WILLIAM. 

And  if  it  turns  out  well  .  .  .  ? 

ST.  ORBYN. 

They  won't  take  the  smallest  interest  in  the  matter. 
Those  who  have  made  unhappy  marriages  walk  on 
stilts,  while  the  happy  ones  are  on  a  level  with  the 
crowd.     No  one  sees  'em ! 

SIR  WILLIAM. 

I  cannot  think  that  the  anxiety  of  the  last  few  weeks 
points  to  a  peaceful  issue.  I  have  a  little  burden  on 
my  conscience  too ! 

ST.  ORBYN. 

Your  conscience !  This  means,  of  course,  that 
somebody  somewhere  is  crying ! 

SIR  WILLIAM. 

How  did  you  guess? 

ST.  ORBYN. 

I  always  associate  a  man's  conscience  with  a 
woman's  tears.     They  are  inseparable. 

SIR  WILLIAM. 

I  begin  to  wonder  if  I  have  acted  well  towards 
Gwendolene. 


Scene  i]         THE   AMBASSADOR  85 

ST.  ORBYN. 

You  certainly  grew  up  together  with  the  notion  of 
pleasing  your  parents  by  marrying. 

SIR  WILLIAM. 

She  has  behaved  in  the  most  touching  manner  — 
not  a  reproach  —  but,  little  things  tell !  She  no  longer 
wears  a  small  gift  I  gave  her  —  a  trifle  —  a  moonstone 
brooch. 

ST.  ORBYN. 

Ah! 

SIR  WILLIAM. 

Every  time  I  see  her  now,  I  miss  it,  and  it  is  as 
though  a  certain  light  had  gone  out  of  my  life. 

ST.  ORBYN. 

I  attach,  as  you  do,  immense  importance  to  the 
brooch  episode  ! 

SIR  WILLIAM. 

I  am  glad  you  agree  with  me.  That  simple,  un- 
studied act,  I  assure  you,  has  cut  me  to  the  heart 
more  deeply  than  any  scene,  any  appeal  could  ever 
have  done.  It  is  by  these  means  —  so  artless  and  so 
infinitely  pathetic  —  that  women  conquer  us. 

ST.  ORBYN. 

True.     Oh,  how  true  ! 


86  THE   AMBASSADOR  [Act  II 

SIR   WILLIAM. 

Turn  over  my  difficulty  in   your  mind.     See  —  on 
the  one  side  the  unswerving  love  of  Gwendolene. 

ST.  ORBYN  (working  on  his  sympathy). 

The  friendship  of  your  childhood,  the  affection  of 
your  more  mature  years. 

SIR   WILLIAM. 

She  is  not  pretty  .  .  .  she  is  not  accomplished.  .  .  . 

ST.  ORBYN. 

But  she  is  good.     She  has  fine  eyes,  and  then  — 
she 's  fond  of  you  ! 

SIR    WILLIAM. 

Very! 

ST.  ORBYN. 

On  the  other  side  .  .  .  ? 

SIR  WILLIAM. 

There  is  a  fancy,  perhaps  a  purely  physical  infatu- 
ation.    I  say  perhaps.  .  .  . 

ST.  ORBYN. 

Nothing  more  likely.     Take  that  for  granted. 


Scene  i]         THE   AMBASSADOR  87 

SIR  WILLIAM  {sighing). 
While  Juliet  herself  is,  I  must  say,  extremely  cold, 
with  all  her  lively  airs. 

ST.   ORBYN. 

Personally,  I  should    not    hesitate  for   a  moment. 

(Rises.) 

SIR  WILLIAM  (rising). 

Then  what  would  you  do  ? 

ST.  ORBYN. 

Do  !    I  would  take  the  woman  I  wanted,  of  course ! 
"  Gather  the  rose  of  love  whilst  yet  't  is  time, 
Whilst  loving  thou  mightst  loved  be  .  .  ." 
and  so  on  ! 

SIR  WILLIAM  (sighing). 

Yet  .  .  .  how  delightful  she  is ! 

ST.   ORBYN. 

Which  of  'em  ? 

SIR    WILLIAM. 

Why,  Juliet,  of  course  ! 

ST.  ORBYN  (seeing  his  hesitancy). 
Ah,  but  think  of  that  other  poor  girl !     Think  of 
Gwendolene  —  her    sleepless    nights  —  watching  the 
sun  rise  and  the   moon  come  out.  .  .  . 


88  THE   AMBASSADOR  [Act  II 

SIR   WILLIAM. 

Awful ! 

ST.  ORBYN. 

Think  of  her  silent  tears !  How  she  has  shared  in 
thought  and  hope  every  step  in  your  career.  Ah, 
never  play  with  hearts  !  And  then  think  of  her  eyes 
—  those  mournful  eyes  full  of  a  great,  uncomplaining, 
ever-devoted  love.  Upon  my  word,  it  would  move 
a  Don  Juan  to  fidelity  ! 

SIR   WILLIAM. 

Well,  I  hope  I  'm  not  a  Don  Juan  !  But  I  grant 
Gwendolene's  claim.  And,  after  all,  Juliet  told  me 
at  the  beginning  that  she  did  not  love  me. 

ST.  ORBYN  {relieved). 
Ah,  she  told  you  that,  did  she  ? 

SIR   WILLIAM. 

(^Taking  St.  Orbyn's  arm  and  walking  with  him.) 

Yes,  with  the  most  amazing  candour.  I  confess  I 
was  piqued  —  deucedly  piqued  !  At  the  time,  I  put 
it  down  to  coquetry,  but  since  my  arrival  here  she  has 
been  more  distant  than  ever.  We  have  hardly  ex- 
chantred  a  word. 


Scene  i]        THE   AMBASSADOR  89 

ST.  ORBYN  (with  veiled  sarcasm). 
But  then,  your  stepmother  has  naturally  monopo- 
lised you  to  the  exclusion  of  others ! 

SIR   WILLIAM. 

True.  When  I  saw  my  stepmother  —  I  had  not 
expected  such  a  change  —  I  felt  I  ought,  in  du;y,  to 
knock  under. 

ST.   ORBYN. 

My  dear  Bill,  you  are  right.  A  broken  engage- 
ment is  a  pity,  but  a  wretched  marriage  is  a  joke  — 
a  hideous,  hellish  joke  !  Don't  submit  the  most  seri- 
ous action  of  your  life  to  the  judgment  of  a  parcel  of 
old  women,  who  only  think  of  the  presents  they  have 
had  engraved  with  your  wife's  monogram ! 

SIR   WILLIAM. 

That's  all  very  well,  but  they  rule  the  set,  you 
know.  If  they  don't  happen  to  like  a  woman,  they 
can  make  it  very  disagreeable  for  a  fellow. 

ST.   ORBYN. 

I  suppose  they  can  —  given  the  fellow ! 

SIR   WILLIAM, 

All  the  same,  your  advice  is  excellent  (both  walk  up 
stage\  and  I  am  wholly  of  your  opinion,  but  —  how 
in  the  world  .  .  . 


90  THE   AMBASSADOR         [Act  II 

ST.  ORBYN. 

Ah,  Princess  ! 
[Enter  the  Princess  Vendramini  and  Lord  Lavens- 

THORPE.) 
sir   WILLIAM. 

I  will  leave  you.  ^Exit  with  Lavensthorpe. 

VENDRAMINI  {tO  ST.  ORBYN). 

Well,  have  you  been  happy  this  evening  ? 

ST.    ORBYN. 

Your  presence  casts  a  spell  over  my  memory. 
Now,  at  last,  I  am  in  bliss ;  I  forget  all  that  I  was, 
or  have  been  ! 

VENDRAMINI  {seating  herself). 

Your  compliments  are  a  two-edged  sword  j  they 
hurt  both  of  us  ! 

ST.  ORBYN. 

I  deserve  my  wounds.     And  you,  Rosamund  .  .  .  ? 

VENDRAMINI. 

I  own  I  am  not  blameless. 

ST.  ORBYN. 

It  is  so  hard  to  know  when  you  speak  in  mockery 
and  when  you  speak  in  earnest. 


Scene  i]        THE   AMBASSADOR  91 

VENDRAMINI  {laughing  bitterly). 

Do  you  think  that  any  woman  can  be  in  earnest 
when  she  refers  to  her  own  shortcomings  ?  But, 
speaking  of  faults,  what  do  you  think  now  of  little 
Gainsborough  ? 

ST.  ORBYN. 

She  has  eyes  like  woods  of  autumn,  and  a  voice  like 
the  west  wind  among  roses  ! 

VENDRAMINI. 

Little  minx !  Why  don't  you  trust  me,  and  speak 
out  ?  Madame  de  Savigny  and  Princess  ZoubarofF 
both  say  .  .  . 

ST.  ORBYN  (sitting  R.  of  her). 

No  names !  Mention  no  names,  I  entreat  you. 
The  one  safe  theme  in  diplomatic  circles  is  Ancient 
History.  Talk  of  Caesar,  George  IV.,  Henry  VHI., 
or  Queen  Anne,  and  mean  .  .  .  whom  you  please. 
But  don't  speak  of  your  friends  —  friends  with  whom 
we  dine,  have  dined,  and  hope  again  to  dine. 

VENDRAMINI. 

I  believe  that  little  thing  has  bewitched  you  !  Gwen 
Marleaze  told  me  as  much  just  now. 


92  THE   AMBASSADOR  [Act  II 

ST.  ORBYN. 

Poor  Gwen  !     She  is  youngish,  prettyish  .  .  , 

VENDRAMiNi  {tartly). 
And  foolish ! 

ST.  ORBYN  {thoughtfully). 
It  is  a  great  embarrassment,  but  there  seems  no 
lively  way  of  describing  the  virtues ! 

VENDRAMINI  {peevishly). 
The  virtues  aren't  women  at  all. 

ST.  ORBYN. 

What  are  they  ? 

VENDRAMINI. 

Allegories. 

ST.  ORBYN. 

Your  sex,  then,  consists  of  the  Graces,  the  Muses, 
and  the  Dowdies ! 

VENDRAMINI. 

You  sha'n't  change  the  subject !  I  call  Gwen 
Marleaze  a  cat !  Upon  my  word,  I  would  sooner  Bill 
married  Juliet  after  all. 

ST.  ORBYN. 

There  I  can't  agree  with  you.  The  more  I  see 
of  Miss  Gainsborough,  the  more  I  feel  convinced  that 
Sir  William  is  not  the  man  to  make  her  happy  ! 


Scene  i]        THE   AMBASSADOR  93 

VENDRAMINI. 

Nonsense ! 

ST.  ORBYN. 

But  he  could  never  appreciate  her :  that  shy,  deli- 
cate humour;  that  innocent  roguery  .  .  .  that  pearly 
flesh  tint  round  the  chin  ! 

VENDRAMINI. 

Mon  Dieu  !  The  flame  this  time  has  been  extin- 
guished by  the  moth  !  She  has  got  the  better  of  you. 
Who  would  have  believed  it !      She  has  fooled  you ! 

ST.  ORBYN. 

Not  at  all.  You  will  not  deny  that  she  is  just 
nineteen.  Tou  will  know,  because  I  think  she  told 
me  you  were  present  at  her  christening. 

VENDRAMINI  (^falling  into  the  trap). 
Nineteen !     She   is  not  nineteen.      She    is    barely 
seventeen  ...  if  that.   .  .   . 

ST.    ORBYN. 

Delighted  to  hear  it !  Again,  you  own  she  is  lovely 
to  look  at } 

VENDRAMINI. 

I  admit  she  possesses  certain  attractions  of  a  super- 
ficial kind. 


94  THE   AMBASSADOR  [Act  II 

ST.  ORBYN. 

Exactly.  A  fine  complexion,  beautiful  hair,  and 
pretty  features  are  unquestionably  on  the  surface.  I 
thank  my  stars  they  are  !  One  would  not  be  well 
advised  to  take  them,  like  the  soul,  for  granted  !  (Rises 
and  moves  c.)     But  come,  can  you  resist  this  music  ? 

VENDRAMINI. 

I  could  resist  the  music  .  .  .  but  you — alas!   (^Sighs."^ 

ST.  ORBYN. 

Shall  we  go  ? 
(^She  accepts  his  arm^  and  they  return  to  the  hall-room  as 
Sir  William  and  Juliet  enter  by  r.  arch;  Juliet 
is  carrying  some  letters.) 

JULIET  (to  sir  WILLIAM). 

As  I  was  passing  through  the  hall,  I  found  these 
letters.  They  are  from  Berlin.  I  thought  they  might 
be  important.  There  is  one  I  sent  on  Saturday,  which 
missed  you.     I  should  like  you  to  read  it. 

SIR    WILLIAM. 

Why  read  it  when  you  are  here  yourself?  I  can 
read  this  at  any  time  —  when  I  am  alone. 


Scene  i]        THE   AMBASSADOR  95 

JULIET  {in  a  low  voice), 

I  would  rather  you  read  it  now,  because  it  is  really 
rather  important. 

SIR  WILLIAM  {peevishly). 

I  tell  you,  I  am  not  in  the  mood.  I  am  greatly 
distressed  about  Mama  and  one  or  two  other  things. 
I  am  not  myself.   .   .   .  I  .  .  . 

{Enter  Vivian  hurriedly^  pale  and  greatly  agitated.) 

VIVIAN  {to  sir  William). 

Bill !  I  must  see  you  at  once.  It  is  a  matter  of 
life  and  death.     Please  leave  us  alone,  Juliet. 

SIR  WILLIAM  {pompously). 

This  is  absurd.  What  is  the  matter  ?  I  cannot 
go  into  it  now.  I  can  conceive  of  nothing  so 
inopportune ! 

JULIET. 

Do  see  him.  Bill.  I  can  wait  here.  I  shall  like 
resting.  {Putting  her  hand  on  his  arm.)  Be  kind  to 
him,  won't  you  ?     {She  glides  away  to  the  side  and  sits 

up  L.) 

SIR  WILLIAM  {to  Vivian). 
Well,  what  is  it  ?     {Crosses  and  sits  on  couch.) 


96  THE   AMBASSADOR  [Act  II 

VIVIAN  {standing  over  sir  William). 

I  'm  in  the  most  awful  fix.  You  know  Hugo 
Lascelles  ? 

SIR   WILLIAM. 

I  have  heard  of  the  person. 

VIVIAN. 

He's  been  very  decent  to  me.  .  .  .  He  let  me  play 
cards  with  him, 

SIR  WILLIAM. 

Indeed ! 

VIVIAN. 

Just  at  first  I  won  a  good  deal. 

SIR   WILLIAM. 

Well  ? 

VIVIAN. 

Then  I  began  to  lose  ...  a  good  deal  more  than 
I  won. 

SIR   WILLIAM. 

Of  course  I     Well  .  .  .  ? 

VIVIAN. 

You  know  Mama  has  been  too  ill  to  read  her  letters 
lately.  The  other  day  a  cheque  came  from  Didcomb 
for  ;^500.  It  so  happened  that  I  put  it  in  my  breast- 
pocket. 


Scene  i]        THE   AMBASSADOR  97 

SIR  WILLIAM. 
Well    .    .    .    ? 

VIVIAN. 

Last  night  I  lost  ;^500  to  Lascelles. 

SIR  WILLIAM. 

Lost  ;^50o!  .  .  .  Good  Gad!  .  .  .  Good  Gad! 
{Stands  up.)  .  .  .  Good  Gad  ! 

VIVIAN. 

What  is  the  use  of  Good  Gad-ing  about  the  place  ? 
I  thought  I  should  win  it  back  in  no  time  ...  so  I 
played  again  this  afternoon.     I  lost  more  .  .  . 

SIR  WILLIAM. 

Well  ? 

VIVIAN. 

There  were  several  fellows  there  ...  I  had  prom- 
ised Lascelles  the  money.  So  .  .  .  without  meaning 
it  ...  I  thought  of  the  cheque. 

SIR  WILLIAM. 

Go  on ! 

VIVIAN. 

Well  ...  I  endorsed  it  in  Mama's  name  .  .  .  and 
gave  it  him. 

7 


98  THE    AMBASSADOR  [Act  II 

SIR    WILLIAM. 

You  mean  to  say  you  forged  Mama's  name  ? 

VIVIAN. 

I  tell  you  I  did  n't  mean  to  do  it.  It  was  one  of 
those  sudden  impulses.  ...  It  just  came  into  my  head. 
...  I  tell  you  it  seemed  the  only  way  out  of  the 
scrape.  I  thought  you  would  n't  mind  paying  in  the 
money  to  Mama's  account,  so  that  she  would  n't  miss 
it.  I  have  acknowledged  the  cheque  to  Didcomb. 
He  's  all  right.  I  can  arrange  the  details  later  .  .  . 
but  .  .  . 

SIR   WILLIAM. 

You  expected  me  to  be  a  party  to  this  abominable 
deception  .  .  .me!     (^Paces  the  room.) 

VIVIAN  {following  him). 
I'll  pay  it  all  back  again  —  honour  bright  — when 
I  come  of  age.  What's  a  little  beastly  five  hundred 
pound  to  you  ?  I  don't  ask  it  for  my  sake  either, 
but  for  her  —  to  save  her  —  when  she  is  so  ill  and 
worried  about  you.  You  might  be  willing  to  spare 
her  the  disappointment  about  me.  She  would  n't 
mind  the  money.  It 's  the  way  I  've  got  it.  She 
told  me  to  break  off  with  Lascelles  —  but  she  told 
you  to  break  off  with    'Juliet  .   .  . 


Scene  iJ        THE   AMBASSADOR  99 

SIR   WILLIAM. 

{^Springing  to  his  feet  indignantly.^ 
Not  another  word ! 

VIVIAN. 

I  say  it  is  n't  so  easy  as  it  seems  to  go  about  break- 
ing off.  You  might  be  decent  for  this  once  and  pay 
the  money  —  and  jaw,  if  you  like,  afterwards. 

SIR  WILLIAM  {after  some  hesitation). 
No.     On  principle!     No! 

VIVIAN. 

I  say,  you  don't  mean  that  ?  You  're  an  awfully 
good-hearted  chap,  really. 

SIR  WILLIAM. 

This  flattery  is  nauseating.  I  say  Mama  has  in- 
dulged you  to  the  most  absurd  degree.  Let  her  observe 
the  disastrous  effect  of  a  fond  bringing  up. 

VIVIAN  {half  in  tears). 

What  is  the  good  of  going  on  like  this  ?  Lascelles, 
I  tell  you,  has  got  the  cheque.  He  will  pay  it  in  to- 
morrow mornino-. 


loo  THE   AMBASSADOR  [Act  11 

SIR  WILLIAM. 

Tell  me  no  more  about  it.  On  principle,  I  wash 
my  hands  of  the  matter. 

VIVIAN. 

Then  I  shall  blow  my  brains  out  —  that 's  all ! 
{^Excited.) 

SIR   WILLIAM. 

These  vulgar  threats,  my  dear  Vivian,  are  unavailing. 

VIVIAN. 

But  I  tell  you  .  .  . 

SIR  WILLIAM. 

Silence,  I  say.     Here  is  your  wretched  mother. 
{Enter  Lady  Beauvedere.) 

LADY  BEAUVEDERE, 

Bill,  Vivian,  surely  you  have  partners.  You  cannot 
be  spared  from  the  ball-room.  Several  of  the  best 
dancers  have  left  already.  I  believe  that  dreadful 
Major  Lascelles  is  giving  a  party  himself  this  evening, 
merely  to  vex  me  and  entice  away  my  men. 

SIR  WILLIAM. 

I  find  it  hard  to  believe  that  any  of  your  friends 
would  prefer  Lascelles'  society  to  ours.     But  {with  a 


Scene  i]        THE    AMBASSADOR  loi 

pointed  glance  at  Vivian),  one  can  be  sure  of  nothing. 
(To  Lady  Beauvedere.)    I  will  come  with  you. 

LADY    beauvedere. 

{Taking  Sir  William's  arm.) 
Come,  dear  Vivie. 

VIVIAN, 

I  'm  coming  ...  in  a  minute. 
(Lady  Beauvedere  and  Sir  William  go  back  to  the 
ball-room.     Vivian  remains  staring  after  them.) 

VIVIAN. 

All  right  ...  I  say,  all  right.  (Takes  a  small 
pocket-pistol  from  his  pocket.)  I  'm  not  such  a  fool  as  I 
look.  I  know  the  quickest  way  out  of  every  scrape. 
{Handles  the  pistol.) 

JULIET. 

(^Rushing  forward  from  her  place  of  semi-concealment.) 
Vivian  !     What  are  you  doing  ? 

VIVIAN  (hiding  the  pistol). 
I  was  .  .   .  just  thinking,  that 's  all. 

JULIET  (embarrassed). 

Vivie  ...  I  could  n't  help  hearing  .  .  .  some  of 
the  things.   .   .   .   Bill  talks  rather  loud,  and  I  was  so 


102  THE   AMBASSADOR  [Act  II 

afraid  lest  some  one  else  should  hear,  that  I  nearly 
interrupted  him. 

VIVIAN  {huskily'). 

Don't  be  sorry.  Every  dog  has  his  day.  I  've  had 
mine  ...  I  've  had  a  very  good  time,  take  it  all 
round.     I  ain't  complaining. 

JULIET  {moving  near  to  him). 

I  wish  I  could  help  you.  I  have  n't  a  penny  of 
money  myself,  but  Major  Lascelles  would  be  kind,  I 
know,  if  you  asked  him. 

VIVIAN. 

Ah,  you  don't  know  Lascelles. 

JULIET. 

Oh  yes,  I  do' 

VIVIAN. 

You  do! 

JULIET. 

I  've  known  him  ever  since  I  can  remember. 

VIVIAN  {apparently  struck  with  an  idea). 
Does  he  like  you  ? 

JULIET  (simply). 
I  think  so. 


Scene  i]         THE   AMBASSADOR  103 

VIVIAN. 

Would  you  have  the  pluck  to  .  .  .  no,  you 
would  n't.   .  .  . 

JULIET  (eagerly). 

Yes,  I  would  .  .  .  but  what  for  ? 

VIVIAN. 

He  will  do  nothing  for  men.  He  is  as  hard  as  the 
devil  with  men,  but  they  say  he  will  do  any  mortal 
thing  for  a  pretty  woman. 

JULIET. 

You  want  me  to  ask  him  not  to  present  that  cheque  ? 

VIVIAN. 

That 's  it.    What  a  clever  girl  you  are,  after  all ! 

JULIET. 

I  '11  write  him  a  note  in  the  morning. 

VIVIAN. 

A  note  .  .  .  that  won't  do  .  .  .  you  must  see  him. 

JULIET. 

Very  well,  then  I  '11  go  and  see  him  to-morrow. 


I04  THE   AMBASSADOR  [Act  II 

VIVIAN. 

But  .  .  .  to-morrow  will  be  too  late.     You  must 
go  to-night. 

JULIET. 

To-night !    Why,  it 's  nearly  three  o'clock  already. 

VIVIAN. 

Ah,  I  knew  you  would  n't  have  the  pluck  !      But, 
think  how  easy  it  will  be.    He  has  a  party  this  evening. 

JULIET. 

Yes. 

VIVIAN. 

So  ...  I  know  you  will  find  him  at  home. 

JULIET. 

Yes. 

VIVIAN. 

You  can  get  out  through  that  gate.     {Points  to  con- 
servatory door.^ 

JULIET. 

Yes. 

VIVIAN. 

Run  across  the  garden  to  his  house. 

JULIET. 

I  see. 

VIVIAN. 

Send  up  your  name  on  a  card. 


Scene  i]        THE   AMBASSADOR  105 

JULIET. 

Yes. 

VIVIAN. 

Ask  to  see  him  .  .  .  and  tell  the  concierge  that  you 
have  an  appointment. 

JULIET. 

Well  .  .  .  what  else  ? 

VIVIAN. 

He  '11  see  you,  be  quite  sure  of  that.  Make  him 
give  you  back  the  cheque  into  your  own  hands. 
Don't  come  away  without  it. 


JULIET. 
VIVIAN. 


I'll  do  it. 
You  will ! 

JULIET. 

I  '11  do  it  .  .  .  not  for  you  —  but,  for  your  mother. 

VIVIAN. 

Ah,  you  would  n't  like  to   see   her  heart   broken, 
would  you  ? 

JULIET. 

I  say  I  will  do  it  on  her  account.      Have  you  got 
the  key  of  the  garden  gate  ? 


io6  THE   AMBASSADOR  [Act  II 

VIVIAN  {taking  it  from  his  pocket'). 
Yes,  I  use  it  .  .  .  rather  often. 

JULIET. 

Oh,  Vivie ! 

VIVIAN. 

My  dear  girl,  a  man  can't  run  around  holding  his 
mother's  hand  all  day  !     [Gives  her  the  key.) 

JULIET. 

Quick!  quick  !  {He  moves  to  door  and  opens  it.)  Will 
you  wait  here  to  let  me  in  when  I  come  back  ?  Oh, 
Vivie,  it  is  very  dangerous  ...  if  any  one  were  to  see 
me,  how  could  I  explain  ?      {Follows  him  to  door.) 

VIVIAN. 

They  won't  see  you.  They  've  never  caught  me 
yet.     Make  haste. 

JULIET. 

I  see  the  way  now  .  .  .  straight  across  the  garden 
through  the  gate.  {She  puts  scarf  round  her  head.)  Oh, 
Vivie,  why  did  you  do  it  ?     Your  poor  mother ! 
{She  darts  out^  and  he  closes  the  door.     At  this  moment 

the  music  ceases.     The  couples  pour  in.     Among  them  is 

GwENDOLENE,  looking  very  pale.^  on  Sir  William's 

arm^  followed  by  Lady  Beauvedere.) 


Scene  i]         THE   AMBASSADOR  107 

GWENDOLENE. 

I  feel  a  little  faint.  .  .  .  Could  you  take  me  to  the 
door  ?  .  .  .  The  air  .  .  . 

SIR  WILLIAM  {opening  the  door). 
There  .  .  .  are  you  better,  dear  Gwendolene  ? 

LADY   BEAUVEDERE. 

Fetch  her  my  salts  —  quickly. 

\_Exit  Sir  William. 

GWENDOLENE. 

Thank  you  ...  so  much  better  .  .  .  {She  lifts  her 
head^  looks  out  into  the  garden^  suddenly  seems  amazed^ 
rubs  her  eyes^  seizes  Lady  Beauvedere's  arm.)  Lady 
Beauvedere,  do  you  see  that  white  figure  ?  .  .  .  run- 
ning .  .  .  is  .  .  .  look  quickly.  .  .  . 

LADY  BEAUVEDERE  (peering). 
Where,  Gwen  ?  ...  It  is  ...  ! 

GWENDOLENE, 

Can  it  be  .  .  .  Juliet?     Where  is  she  going? 

LADY  BEAUVEDERE. 

Where  is  she  going? 


io8  THE   AMBASSADOR  [Act  II 

GWENDOLENE. 

There  are  lights  in  Major  Lascelles'  windows.  .  .  . 

LADY  BEAUVEDERE. 

What  has  she  to  do  with  Major  Lascelles  ? 

GWENDOLENE. 

She  met  him  this  morning.  ...  I  caught  her  wav- 
ing to  him  from  the  drawing-room. 

LADY  BEAUVEDERE  {quickly). 

Not  a  word  of  this  to  Bill.  .  .  .  Leave  it  all  to  me. 
.  .  .  Not  a  word.  .  .  .  [She  goes  out  into  the  garden.) 

(Sir  William  returns  with  the  smelling-bottle.    GwEN- 
DOLENE  closes  the  door  hurriedly.) 

SIR  WILLIAM  {anxiously  to  gwendolene). 
Are  you  better? 

GWENDOLENE  (smiling). 
So  much  better,! 

End  of  Second  Act 


THE   THIRD   ACT 

Scene  :  At  Major  Lascelles'  residence  in  the  Champs  Elysies. 
Time:  About  j  a.m.  Room  furnished  in  the  Renaissance 
style :  heavily  gilded  ceilings  dark  nuood  chairs  j  prenjailing 
tints,  gold  and  blue  and  red.  As  curtain  rises  great  noise  of 
laughing  and  chattering.  Supper  table  is  seen  ^with  remains 
of'uery  elaborate  supper.  About  six  guests  besides  Lascelles 
himself  Four  are  'voomen.  As  curtain  rises  Miss  Katie  and 
Miss  Yolande  Taylorson,  t<v:o  young  girls,  njoith  hair 
donvn  their  backs,  dressed  fantastically  in  accordion-pleated 
baby  dresses,  are  standing  in  front  of  supper  table  <vorapt  in 
contemplation  of  a  song  being  sung  by  ToTO,  a  young  man, 
accompanied  by  Miss  Mamie  Taylorson,  the  eldest  daugh- 
ter of  Mrs.  Taylorson.  Mrs.  Taylorson,  an  elderly 
lady  njery  'weary,  in  black  silk  of  the  utmost  respectability, 
•watches  her  daughters  ivith  pride.  This  group  to  con'vey  an 
impression  of  candid  'vulgarity  as  opposed  to  <vicious,  or  merely 
fashionable  'vulgarity.     At  conclusion  of  song  all  clap  hands. 

LORD  REGGIE  {seated  R.  of  table'). 
And  now,  Miss  Katie,  won't  you  dance  ? 

MRS.  TAYLORSON. 

Why,  yes,  Katie,  you  can  do  that  little  skirt  dance 
for  Lord  Reggie. 


no  THE    AMBASSADOR  [Act  III 

KATIE. 

Why,  yes  —  if  you'll  {to  Mamie)  play.  (Talks to 
Lord  Reggie.) 

(Mamie    begins    to  play    opening    bars    of  the    Sonata 
Pathetique.) 

KATIE. 

Oh,  Mamie,  not  that  one  !  That 's  the  tune  the 
old  cow  died  of! 

MAMIE  (with  indignation^ 
Did  you  expect  me  to  play  anything  different  ?    My 
style  is  Classic. 

KATIE. 

Oh,  well,  I  know  that,  but  try  how  I  will,  I  can't 
dance  worth  a  cent  to  really  good  music.  Please  play 
something  vulgar  just  for  this  once  ! 

MAMIE  (with  a  deep  sigh). 
Well,  I  will.      {Plays.} 
Katie  dances  most  decorously  ;  while  she  is  dancing  enter 
St.  Orbyn.) 

lascelles. 
O,  le  bienvenu  !      How  did  you  escape  so   soon  ? 
{Leaning  on  back  of  piano.)     Was  the  widow's  ball  a 
bore  ? 


Scene  i]         THE   AMBASSADOR  iii 

ST.  ORBYN  (yolande  goes  to  him). 
I  could  not  love  "  ma  belle  cousine  "  so  much  loved 
I  not  dulness  more!     (Shades  hands  with  Yolande.) 

YOLANDE. 

Pshaw !  Mama,  Lord  St.  Orbyn  always  calls  me 
cousin  ! 

MRS.  TAYLORSON. 

Why,  that 's  very  kind  ! 

KATIE. 

Mama,  let  me  present  Lord  St.  Orbyn.  (Mrs. 
Taylorson  rises.)  Lord  St.  Orbyn,  this  is  my  mother, 
Mrs.  Whitcomb  J.  Taylorson.  (^Crosses  and  speaks  to 
Yolande.) 

MRS.  taylorson. 

Happy  to  meet  you.  Lord  St.  Orbyn. 

ST.  ORBYN  {to  MRS.  TAYLORSON). 

Delighted  to  meet  the  charming  mother  of  the 
Muses. 

(Yolande  sits  on  the  supper  table.) 

MRS.  TAYLORSON  {very  practically). 
Oh,  now.  Lord  St.  Orbyn  !      You  know  Mamie  ? 
(Lord  St.  Orbyn  bows  to  Mamie.)     If  you  would 


112  THE   AMBASSADOR         [Act  III 

just  put  in  a  word  {confidentially)  for  Yolande  and  Katie 
at  the  Grand  Opera  House,  I  'd  be  real  grateful  to  you. 
You  know  they  're  studying  their  voices  here  for  the 
stage.  Mamie,  of  course,  is  at  the  Conservatoire, 
studying  the  piano. 

MAMIE. 

For  the  Lamoureux  Concerts  .  .  .  nothing  less ! 

MRS.  TAYLORSON. 

Yolande  's  had  elegant  offers,  but  she  won't  marry. 
She's  an  artiste  by  temperament.  Art  with  her  is  all 
in  all. 

YOLANDE. 

{With  her  mouth  full.     Still  sitting  on  table  and  taking  up 
a  dish  of  pastry.) 

I  live  for  Art.  Marriage  is  like  a  good  pie  spoilt  in 
the  baking.  Everything  is  admirable  except  the  result ! 
It  is  very  heavy  .  .  .  very,  very  heavy  !  (Bursts  into 
laughter  and  throws  plate  on  the  Jloor.) 

KATIE. 

Why,  Yolande,  how  you  do  act !  I  sh'  think  you  'd 
be  ashamed ! 

YOLANDE. 

Get  along  !    He 's  not  the  only  pebble  on  the  beach ! 


Scene  i]        THE   AMBASSADOR  113 

ST.  ORBYN  (going  over  to  lascelles  at  piano). 
Just  get  rid  of  them  for  a  moment.     Send  them 
into  the  billiard-room.     I  want  a  few  minutes  with 
you.     I  must  be  quiet.     (Crosses  up  into  recess  L.) 

lascelles. 
Here,  Reggie,  just  go  into  the  billiard-room  a  little 

[Exeunt  Reggie,  Yolande,  and  Katie. 

LASCELLES. 

Here,  Toto,  just  go  with  the  other  children  into  the 
next  room. 

TOTO  (eating  stolidly  at  head  of  table). 
Oh  no  ;  I  'm  still  too  hungry  ! 

LASCELLES. 

I   thought   of  that.     There  is  another   supper  in 
there.     (Gives  his  arm  to  Mrs.  Taylorson.) 

MRS.  TAYLORSON. 

Why,  how  lavish ! 

[Exeunt  Mrs.  Taylorson,  Toto,  and  Mamie. 

lascelles. 
Yolande  is  a  great  dear  !    Awful  straight  goer  too ! 
Is  n't  she  amusing  ? 

8 


114  THE   AMBASSADOR         [Act  III 

ST.  ORBYN. 

(^Coming  down  R.  with  a  sigh  of  reliefs  and  sitting  in  chair. ^ 
Oh,  I  dare  say,  when  one  is  in  the  right  vein. 

LASCELLES. 

Why,  what  is  the  matter  ? 

ST.  ORBYN. 

It 's  a  wise  man  that  knows  his  own  imbecility ! 

LASCELLES. 

But  this  is  serious.  When  Yolande  begins  to  bore 
a  man,  I  know  what  to  expect.  You  must  be  con- 
templating marriage. 

ST.  ORBYN  (irritably). 

No  doubt.  If  anything  on  earth  would  fairly  kick 
one  into  marriage,  it  would  be  Yolande  !  But,  I  'm 
not  thinking  about  her  at  all. 

LASCELLES. 

Of  course  not.  {Gets  chair  from  table  and  sits.)  Has 
she  blue  eyes,  this  time,  or  brown  ?  Has  she  a  cruel 
parent,  or  a  brutal  husband  ?  Is  she  tender,  or  is  she 
proud  ? 


Scene  i]        THE   AMBASSADOR  115 

ST.  ORBYN. 

This  is  altogether  a  new  experience!  This  .  .  . 
this  is  the  real  thing !  I  have  often  been  taken,  often 
fallen  in  love,  if  you  like,  for  all  sorts  of  reasons; 
but,  this  time  I  am  not  conscious  of  any  particular 
reason  one  way  or  the  other.  It  is  destiny  .  .  . 
destiny ! 

LASCELLES. 

If  you  once  begin  to  talk  about  destiny,  you  know  .  .  . 

ST.  ORBYN. 

I  am  not  a  romantic  boy  with  a  head  full  of  rhymes 
and  a  liver  full  of  illusions.   .  .  . 

LASCELLES. 

I  'd  rather  be  ruled  by  a  liver  than  by  love ! 

ST.  ORBYN. 

A  liver  lasts  longer!  Oh,  I  know  my  world  —  I 
know  women.  I  know  their  faults.  I  know  their 
good  points  too.  Women  may  be  whole  oceans  deeper 
than  we  are,  but  they  are  also  a  whole  paradise  better  ! 
She  may  have  got  us  out  of  Eden,  but  as  a  compen- 
sation she  makes  the  earth  very  pleasant !  If  I  have 
not  married,  it  is  because  I  did  n't  believe  in  women. 


ii6  THE   AMBASSADOR        [Act  III 

LASCELLES. 

Why,  then  I 

ST.  ORBYN. 

Because  I  have  not  believed  in  myself  1 

I 

LASCELLES. 

And  now  f 

ST.  ORBYN. 

Oh,  now  I  begin  to  understand  my  own  poetry ! 
That 's  somethings  you  know  —  hang  it !  that's  a  good 
deal;  indeed,  that 's  half  the  battle  ! 

LASCELLES. 

You  have  certainly  written  a  lot  of  poetry  about 
love. 

ST.  ORBYN. 

Well,  it  was  all  imagination.  It  was  not  from  my 
own  experience. 

LASCELLES. 

They  say  the  nightingale  sings  divinely  during  his 
courtship,  but,  once  mated,  he  can  only  croak. 

ST.  ORBYN. 

That  may  be  my  case.  At  any  rate,  I  have  at 
last  met  the  one  woman  I  can  worship  ...  do  you 


Scene  i]         THE    AMBASSADOR  117 

hear  —  worship?  .  .  .  (^Rtses.^     What  do  you  know 
about  worship  ?  .  .   .  Nothing ! 

LASCELLES. 

I  am  having  an  object-lesson  now.  (Turning  chair 
towards  St.  Orbyn.) 

ST.  ORBYN. 

Guess  who  it  is? 

LASCELLES. 

I  must  decline  that  indiscretion. 

ST.  ORBYN. 

(^Sitting  at  supper  table  and  moving  things  about  nervously^ 

Think  of  the  ass  she  is  engaged  to.  Think  of  the 
dull,  portentous  bore  with  the  brain  of  a  .  .  .  a  .  .  . 
lobster  and  the  heart  of  a  .  .  .  a  .  .  .  spring  onion ! 
{Takes  a  piece  of  lobster  and  a  spring  onion  out  of  the 
salad  bowl.^     Think  of  him. 

LASCELLES. 

By  Jove  !  you  don't  mean   .  .   . 

ST.  ORBYN. 

Yes,  I  do.     There  is  but  one. 


ii8  THE   AMBASSADOR         [Act  III 

LASCELLES. 

Good  Lord  !     What  is  going  to  happen  ? 

ST.  ORBYN  (sitting  R.  of  table). 
A  row,  of  course. 

LASCELLES. 

But  seriously  .  .  .  you  mean  Bill  Beauvedere? 

ST.  ORBYN. 

Not  seriously  — superjiuoudy  !  That  is  all  —  super- 
fluously. He  must  be  removed.  He  can't  be  per- 
mitted :  he  is  an  unnecessary  person  ! 

LASCELLES. 

That  *s  all  very  well,  but  this  is  going  to  be 
awkward. 

ST.    ORBYN. 

By  no  means.  A  little  friendly  jobbery,  that 's  all ! 
I  know  his  mother,  I  know  the  girl  —  such  a  nice, 
good,  plain  girl  —  he  ought  to  marry.  It  is  just  a 
simple  case  of  a  plus  b  plus  x  minus  x  —  a  mere  mat- 
ter of  subtraction.  These  problems  are  nothing  to 
me. 

LASCELLES. 

I  have  every  confidence  in  your  skill,  but  these 
things  work  out  better  on  paper  than  they  do  in  the 
flesh. 


Scene  i]        THE   AMBASSADOR  119 

ST.  ORBYN. 

Bosh  !  Flesh !  Who  cares  for  the  flesh  ?  My 
godmother  renounced  all  that  for  me  at  my  baptism ! 

LASCELLES. 

Ah  !  there  is  where  you  diplomatists  come  to  grief; 
you  are  always  backing  the  devil  against  the  world 
.   .  .  and  the  rest  of  it. 

ST.  ORBYN. 

The  devil  is  a  very  poor  creature.  I  have  no  opinion 
of  him  ...  I  would  n't  put  a  shilling  on  him  ;  a  low, 
tenth-rate,  rank  outsider  !  Faust  called  in  all  hell  in 
order  to  ruin  one  simple  girl,  and  she,  by  her  prayers 
to  Heaven,  saved  his  soul !  No,  love  will  get  the  better 
of  the  devil  every  time;  love  is  the  supreme  power; 
love,  my  dear  fellow,  is  .  .  .  simply  tremendous  ;  love 
is  the  one  thing  that  always  wins,  and  must  win  ;  love 
has  wings,  do  you  hear  ?   .  .   .  wings ! 

LASCELLES. 

Yes  ...  to  fly  away  ! 

ST.  ORBYN. 

No,  no.  That 's  so  vulgar ;  everybody  says  that 
who  has  backed  a  wrong  'un  !  No,  love  has  wings  to 
lift  one  out  of  every  trouble,  every  disaster ;  love  .  .  . 


120  THE    AMBASSADOR        [Act  III 

LASCELLES. 

If  this  fancy  comes  to  a  crisis,  I  suppose  you  know 
what  will  happen  ? 

ST.  ORBYN. 

No. 

LASCELLES. 

Miss  Gainsborough  is  a  charming  girl,  and  beautiful 
—  but  she's  no  match!  She  is  all  that  a  woman 
should  be — high-minded,  virtuous,  exquisite,  but  — 
she 's  no  match  ! 

ST.  ORBYN  {rising). 

No  match ! 

LASCELLES. 

She  has,  perhaps,  five  thousand  pound,  all  told.  The 
Duke  of  Drumdrosset,  her  grandfather,  is  a  recluse ; 
few  people  have  even  heard  of  him  —  at  any  rate  he  's 
not  a  bit  of  good  !  It  would  be  a  foolish  marriage.  It 
would,  indeed.  No  candid  friend  of  yours  could  say 
otherwise. 

ST.  ORBYN  (satirically^  moving  towards  fireplace). 
And    yet  —  she  is   all   that    a  woman    should    be, 
charming,  beautiful,  high-minded,  virtuous,  exquisite  ! 

LASCELLES. 

Well,  are  n't  there  other  women  equally  delightful, 
but  who  have  money  into  the  bargain,  and  who  have 


Scene  i]        THE   AMBASSADOR  121 

influence  in  the  right  quarters  ?  What  I  ask  is  this  — 
does  your  private  fortune,  quite  apart  from  your  salary, 
allow  you  to  play  Prince  Charming  to  Cinderella  ? 

ST.  ORBYN  {to  himself). 
No  match  !     Good  Lord  !     No  match  !    {Laughs.) 

LASCELLES. 

I  know  the  Foreign  Office.  They  will  take  you 
away  from  Rome.  You  will  never  get  Paris  or  Peters- 
burg—  never!  But  they  will  give  you  something 
dingy  and  feverish,  God  knows  where ! 

ST.  ORBYH  (seating  himself). 

Let  'em  !  Fine  appointments  are  rare,  but  a  good 
wife  is  rarer.  The  Foreign  Office,  my  dear  fellow,  is 
not,  and  never  has  been  the  master  of  my  fate.  I  do 
my  work  honestly,  and  if  they  can  find  a  better  fellow 
for  their  business,  let  'em  send  for  him  by  all  means. 
But  my  marriage  is  my  business.^  Miss  Gainsborough 
is  a  lady  who,  if  she  consents  to  join  her  life  with 
mine,  will  do  me  the  greatest  honour  that  existence 
can  give.     Do  you  understand  me  now  ? 

LASCELLES. 

I  do  !      {Rises;  gets  cigarette-box  from  table.) 


122  THE   AMBASSADOR        [Act  III 

ST.  ORBYN. 

Moreover,  say  that  my  private  means  are  small, 
well,  when  I  retire,  I  can  live  in  what  people  call  a 
small  way.  I  can  do  admirably  on  ;{^2,ooo  a  year  — 
and  bills ! 

LASCELLES. 

Bills !  That  is  what  I  am  thinking  of.  With  your 
tastes,  your  habits  {handing  him  cigarette  from  box  on 
table)^  your  friends !  This  is  all  very  well  and  pretty, 
but  at  your  age  and  with  your  experience.   .   .   . 

ST.  ORBYN. 

I  don't  care.  It  is  just  because  I  am  at  my  age  and 
have  had  my  experience  that  I  am  determined  to  have 
my  own  way.  With  ;i^2,ooo  a  year  one  can  take  a 
little  place  in  the  country,  and  what  with  one's  books 
and  one's  garden  .  .  .  and  a  friend  or  two  to  stay 
with  one  now  and  again  .  .  . 

LASCELLES. 

Oh,  charming — for  a  short  time!  But  it  is  very 
difficult  to  live  on  ;^2,000  a  year  all  the  year  round  ! 
And  then  your  ambition  ? 

ST.  ORBYN. 

What  of  that  ?  In  the  age  of  chivalry  one's  de- 
votion to  a  sweetheart  was  as  necessary  as  one's  glory 


Scene  i]         THE   AMBASSADOR  123 

in  the  fight.  A  man  was  no  man  unless  he  could  be 
determined  in  love.  Well,  it 's  the  same  to-day.  A 
man  is  still  a  man.  And  when  you  see  a  fellow 
really  making  his  mark,  really  feared  by  his  enemies 
and  liked  by  his  friends,  you  will  find    .    .    . 

LASCELLES. 

What  ? 

ST.  ORBYN. 

You  will  find  that  he  has  had,  among  other  things, 
the  sense  to  marry  for  love. 

LASCELLES, 

But  love-matches  don't  always  make  for  happiness ! 

ST.  ORBYN. 

Never  mind  that.  The  great  thing  is  to  love  — 
not  to  be  happy.  Love  is  for  both  worlds.  Perfect 
happiness  is  for  the  other  only. 

LASCELLES. 

Well,  say  you  are  very  fond  of  Miss  Gains- 
borpugh.  .   .  . 

ST.  ORBYN. 

I  'm  not  "  very  fond  "  of  her  ...  I  love  her  I  My 
part  is  sure  at  any  rate.  The  rest  is  for  Providence 
or  Fate. 


124  THE   AMBASSADOR         [Act  III 

LASCELLES. 

My  goodness ! 

ST.   ORBYN. 

I  take  her  for  better  for  worse,  for  richer  for  poorer. 
(^Naive/y.)  There  is  nothing  about  happiness  or  the 
Foreign  Office  in  the  marriage  vows!  And,  more- 
over .  .  .  [perceiving  Duval  enter  r.,  changes  whole 
tone)  .  .  .  Yes,  as  you  were  saying,  it  is  clear  as 
daylight  that  the  Government  desires  to  see  the 
whole  question  settled.  [Crosses  the  room.) 
(DuVAL  hands  Lascelles  a  card.) 

LASCELLES. 

[Without  reading  the  card;  grinning.) 

Oh,  this  is  Tina  —  dear  little  Tina!  She  's  killing! 
But  fancy  the  puss  sending  up  a  card.  (To  Duval.) 
Show  her  up.  [Exit  Duval.  Lascelles  takes  card 
to  lamp.,  reading  it  to  himself.)     Good  Lord  !   .  .  . 

ST.    ORBYN. 

What  is  the  matter  ? 

LASCELLES. 

It  is  n't  Tina,  after  all !  It 's  some  one  .  .  .  some 
one  .  .  .  else. 


Scene  i]        THE   AMBASSADOR  125 

ST.  ORBYN  (languidly). 

Can't  you  pack  her  into  the  billiard-room  with  the 
others  ? 

LASCELLES. 

Well,  I  need  n't  see  her  here.  I  '11  tell  you  what 
I  '11  do  —  I  '11  .  .  .  {walks  to  door  R.). 

(Just  as  he  is  going  to  the  door^  DuvAL  ushers  in  Juliet, 
who  has  a  lace  scarf  over  her  head.  As  she  enters.^ 
she  throws  back  the  scarf.  St.  Orbyn  springs  to  his 
feet  on  recognising  her.  Both  bow  low  —  then  St. 
Orbyn  goes  in  the  billiard-room^  leaving  Lascelles 
and  Juliet  together.) 

JULIET. 

Major  Lascelles,  you  will  be  greatly  surprised  .  .  . 

LASCELLES. 

No,  no.    Pray  sit  down.     I  am  only  sorry  that  .  .  . 
{Loud  peals  of  laughter  from  the  billiard-room.) 

JULIET  {starting  and  speaking  eagerly). 

I  came  to  ask  a  favour.  ...  It  is  something  I  can- 
not write,  because  there  is  not  a  moment  to  be  lost 
—  not  an  instant.  « 


126  THE   AMBASSADOR         [Act  III 

LASCELLES. 

You  have  only  to  ask  it. 

JULIET. 

It  is  about  Vivian.  He  was  here  this  afternoon, 
wasn't  he?  And  you  very  kindly  allowed  him  to  join 
...  to  join  one  of  your  amusing  games,  didn't  you  ? 
And  in  the  excitement  .  .  .  he  .  .  .  inadvertently  gave 
you  something  by  mistake  .  .  .  didn't  he  ? 

LASCELLES  (very  quietly"). 

I  knew  ...  at  the  time,  that  it  was,  as  you  say,  a 
mistake  .  .  .  there  is  no  occasion  for  anxiety.  {Goes 
to  escritoire  up  L.,  and  unlocks  it,  and  takes  out  envelope.) 
The  error  ...  is  in  that. 

JULIET. 

But  the  debt  ? 

LASCELLES. 

The  debt  ?  That 's  Vivian's  lesson.  You  know 
there 's  a  time  to  be  young,  there 's  a  time  to  be 
foolish. 

JULIET. 

Oh,  how  can  I  thank  you  !  I  was  so  anxious,  be- 
cause his  mother  does  not  understand  .  .  .  games  and 
things,  as  you  do. 


Scene  i]         THE   AMBASSADOR  127 

LASCELLES. 

She  shall  never  know. 

JULIET. 

It  was  a  mistake,  after  all,  any  one  might  make, 
was  n't  it  ? 

LASCELLES. 

Oh,  yes,  quite  a  common  occurrence.  Never  gave 
it  a  second  thought ! 

JULIET. 

How  good  you  are !  And  .  .  .  now,  I  have  to 
ask  something  else.  (^With  great  difficulty.')  Don't 
explain  my  reason  for  coming  here  to  Lord  St.  Orbyn. 

LASCELLES  {taking  her  hand). 
Is  that  your  wish,  because  ...  he  might  think  .  .  . 

JULIET. 

It  is  my  wish.     Don't  explain  on  any  account. 

LASCELLES. 

I  promise  you. 

JULIET. 

Thank  you.  {Shakes  hands  with  him.  Laughter 
heard  from  the  billiard-room.)  May  I  go  now  ?  {Moves 
to  door  below  sofa.     Lady  Beauvedere  knocks  a   door.) 


128  THE   AMBASSADOR         [Act  III 

LASCELLES. 

Who  is  that  ? 

LADY  BEAUVEDERE  {entering  and  coming  down  R.  c). 
May  I  come  in  ? 

JULIET  {with  a  cry  of  terror^. 
Ah !  .  .  .  Lady  Beauvedere ! 

LADY  BEAUVEDERE  {advancing). 

Major  Lascelles,'  I  must  apologise  for  this  intrusion. 
It  is  made,  as  you  may  believe,  against  my  will ;  but 
I  thought  Juliet  ought  not  to  be  here  alone.  .  .  .  {She 
pauses.) 

LASCELLES. 

I  hope  you  don't  think  .  .  . 

LADY  BEAUVEDERE  {haughtily). 

If  you  ask  me  what  I  think^  I  can  only  say  that  I 
know  nothings  that  I  understand  nothing,  and,  on  the 
other  hand,  that  I  can  conceive  of  nothing  that  would 
explain  this. 

JULIET. 

{To  Lascelles,  seeing  him  about  to  speak.) 

Please  .  .  .  please !  Let  me  see  Lady  Beauvedere 
alone  for  a  few  minutes. 


Scene  i]        THE   AMBASSADOR  129 

LASCELLES. 

But  Lady  Beauvedere  may  not  be  aware  that  your 
father  is  one  of  my  oldest  friends. 

(^BiU'tard-room  door  bursts  open  and  YoLANDE  runs 
in,  sees  visitors.) 

YOLANDE. 

Great  Caesar ! 

(^Bangs  door  and  goes  out^  giggling  loudly!) 

LADY  BEAUVEDERE  (controlling  her  indignation). 

No  doubt  Miss  Gainsborough  finds  a  party  of  old 
friends  more  amusing  than  one  among  new  acquain- 
tances ! 

JULIET  (to  LASCELLES). 

Please  leave  us. 

LADY  BEAUVEDERE. 

I  am  unable  to  remain  here,  Major  Lascelles.  I 
have  stolen  away,  as  it  is,  from  my  own  house,  my 
own  guests,  in  order  to  save  this  reckless  girl  from  the 
worst  consequences  of  this  conduct.  I  blame  you 
more  (to  Lascelles),  but  I  blame  her  sufficiently. 

(Singing  from  billiard-room ;  Lascelles  goes  to  door  to 
quiet  them.,  and  remains  at  back  of  stage.,  by  the 
writing  table.^ 

9 


130  THE   AMBASSADOR         [Act  III 

JULIET  {to  LADY  BEAUVEDERe). 

( This  scene  to  he  taken  at  a  quick  pace.      The  words 
must  come^  as  it  were^  like  hailstones.) 

Wait,  wait !  I  know  I  must  seem  foolish,  and  .  .  . 
everything  else.  I  know  that,  and  I  can  never  explain, 
never.  But,  you  need  not  be  so  sorrowful  because  I 
am  no  longer  engaged  to  Bill. 

LADY  BEAUVEDERE  {astounded). 

No  longer  engaged  to  Bill !  Has  he  broken  off  the 
engagement  ? 

JULIET  {smiling  sadly). 

No,  I  wrote  to  him  before  he  came  from  Berlin. 
Five  days  ago.  The  letter  missed  him,  unfortunately, 
but  he  has  got  the  letter  this  evening.  I  know  that  he 
has  it,  for  I  gave  it  to  him  myself. 

LADY    BEAUVEDERE. 

But  what  did  he  say  ?  My  poor  boy,  how  did  he 
bear  it  ? 

JULIET  {firmly). 

Nothing  that  he  could  say  would  alter  me,  and  I 
am  sure  he  will  bear  it  in  the  way  you  would  most 
desire ! 


Scene  i]         THE   AMBASSADOR  131 

LADY    BEAUVEDERE. 

But  —  why  did  you  do  this  .  .  .  why  ? 

JULIET  (with  spirit). 

Because  I  saw  that  you  were  miserable :  because  I 
knew  .  .  .  suddenly  .  .  .  that  I  did  not  love  him  well 
enough :  because  I  felt,  all  at  once,  that  we  could 
never,  never  make  each  other  happy — that  it  was  most 
unfair  to  him,  to  you,  to  all  of  us,  from  beginning  to 
end  :  that  is  the  reason  why  ! 

LADY    BEAUVEDERE. 

Had  you  seen  any  one  else  ? 

JULIET. 

No,  I  had  not  seen  any  one  else  theriy  except  my 
sister. 

LADY    BEAUVEDERE. 

My  poor  child  !  (After  a  struggle  with  herself^ 
Still  this  is  madness.  What  will  people  think  ?  Will 
they  believe  that  you  broke  it  off?  Such  good  pros- 
pects !  It  is  but  fair  to  give  you  warning.  You  are 
young  and  romantic.  You  have  no  mother  to  advise 
you.     {Firmly.)      It  is  but  fair  to  give  you  warning. 


132  THE  AMBASSADOR        [Act  III 

JULIET. 

Oh,  I  know  that  Sir  William  is  rich.  I  know  that 
he  could  give  me  everything  that  money  can  buy !  But 
/  am  thinking  of  the  things  that  money  cannot  buy  !  — 
my  ideals — my  dreams! 

LADY    BEAUVEDERE. 

Ideals  !  —  dreams  !  Good  heavens  !  (/«  a  tone  of 
self-mockery.^ 

JULIET. 

Yes  —  the  ideals  that  men  and  women  have  died 
for,  for  which  they  have  been  burnt  —  tortured  — 
martyred.  Are  they  nothing  in  the  world  ?  Shall  I 
give  up  these  treasures  ? 

LADY    BEAUVEDERE. 

Oh,  when  one  is  young,  one  is  full  of  these 
enthusiasms. 

JULIET. 

Have  you  none  yourself?  Don't  you  ever  feel 
there  is  something  lacking  in  these  big  parties  ?  Do 
you  never  get  tired  of  these  smart  friends  ?  —  friends 
who  would  tear  your  soul  to  ribbons  if  it  would  make 
a  lunch  more  lively  !  Do  you  always  like  these  brutal 
jokes  —  this  hateful  scramble  to  go  one  better  and  be, 
at  any  cost,  amused  ?     It 's  horrid,  it  is  contemptible  ! 


Scene  i]         THE   AMBASSADOR  133 

LADY    BEAUVEDERE. 

My  dear  child,  do  you  find  me  contemptible  ? 

JULIET. 
No ;  unhappy  ! 

LADY  BEAUVEDERE  {laughing  Uneasily). 
Me,  unhappy  !     What  a  notion  ! 

JULIET. 

You  are,  you  must  be.  (^Touching  her  arm.)  You 
are  too  good,  too  gentle,  to  be  contented  with  such  a 
stifling  life.  You  must  long  for  the  free,  fresh  air,  to 
watch  the  sky,  to  hear  a  little  of  the  music  of  the 
woods  and  fields.  .   .   . 

LADY    BEAUVEDERE. 

Woods  and  fields.  .  .  .  {^Stares  blankly  into  space.) 

JULIET. 

Don't  you  want  one  human  heart  at  least  on  which 
you  can  always  depend  ? 

LADY    BEAUVEDERE. 

I  have  my  boy.  I  ask  for  no  more,  I  have  Vivian. 
He  is  my  best. 


134  THE   AMBASSADOR        [Act  III 

JULIET  {sorrowfully). 
Oh,  yes,  I  know  how  dearly  you  love  him. 

LADY    BEAUVEDERE. 

Dearly  is  not  the  word.  It  is  idolatry.  Sometimes 
I  fear  it  is  wrong.  But  he  is  mine,  and  when  all  the 
worldly  maxims  are  said,  when  all  is  done,  the  love 
between  mother  and  child  is  real ;  children  do  not  care 
whether  one  is  looking  one's  best  or  one's  worst ; 
whether  one  is  young,  old,  pretty,  or  plain.  Vivian  is 
all  I  have  —  all ! 

JULIET, 

I  know  ...  I  know.   .   .   . 

LADY  BEAUVEDERE  {with  feeling). 
And  all  I  want. 

JULIET  {a  little  surprised). 
Yes.  .  .  . 

LADY  BEAUVEDERE  {looking  at  her). 

Oh,  Juliet,  what  an  enigma  !  what  a  contradiction  ! 
{Takes  her  hand  in  hers.)  I  was  beginning  to  care  for 
you,  I  was  beginning  to  understand  you.  I  had  no 
daughter  of  my  own.     Oh,  Juliet,  what  an  enigma ! 


Scene  i]        THE   AMBASSADOR  135 

JULIET  {standing). 
Oh,  no,  it  is  all  simple  enough,  if'it.  could  be  all  told. 
But  it  cannot  be  told.    One  may  stop  wondering  about 
it,  and,  if  possible,  forget  it.   .  .  . 

LADY  BEAUVEDERE  (standing). 
Juliet,  I  won't  wonder  about  you.      I  won't  ask 
you  any  questions.     {Holds  out  both  her  hands.)     But, 
will  you  come  back  with  me  ? 

JULIET. 

Oh,  why  are  people  always  kind  to  each  other  — 
too  late  ? 

LADY    BEAUVEDERE. 

Don't  say  that,  dear  Juliet.  No  one,  not  even 
Bill,  shall  ever  hear  of  this  .  .  .  escapade :  but,  come 
back  again  with  me.  To-morrow  we  can  part,  per- 
haps not  to  meet  again,  but  let  us  part  friends.  Will 
you  come  ?      {Moves  a  little  towards  her.) 

JULIET  {looking  at  her). 
You  are  very  good. 

LADY   BEAUVEDERE. 

Don't  hesitate,  my  dear  child,  come.  {Goes  up  to 
her  and  takes  her  hand.)     I  feel,  I  know  .  .  .  something 


136  THE   AMBASSADOR         [Act  III 

tells  me  that  .  .  .  {kisses  her)  .  .  .  that  perhaps  we 
shall  never  really  like  each  other:  we  are  so  different. 
But  I  trust  you,  I  do  trust  you.  I  don't  know  why, 
but  I  do.     {Puts  her  arm  round  her.) 

JULIET  (after  a  momenfs  pause). 

Yes,  I  will  come  .  .  .  till  to-morrow. 

(  They  go  out  in  silence^  each  wondering  at  the  other^  with- 
out heeding  Lascelles.) 

LASCELLES  {looking  after  them). 

I  shall  never,  no,  never  understand  good  women.  I 
suppose  they  will  go  back  to  the  ball,  and  smile  at 
each  other  like  angels  of  light  till  —  they  part  for  ever 
by  the  first  possible  train  on  the  morrow. 
{He  goes  up  to  door  L.,  opens  it,  and  calls  St,  Orbyn, 
who  enters  rather  grave,  but  otherwise  inscrutable ;  says 
nothing,  but  picks  up  newspaper  and  sits  down  to  it.) 

LASCELLES. 

Here  is  a  fine  scandal,  and  the  worst  of  it  is  —  I 
hope  you  won't  mind — but  Miss  Gainsborough  has 
made  me  promise  not  to  give  you  the  smallest  explana- 
tion of  her  visit  here. 


Scene  i]        THE   AMBASSADOR  137 

ST.  ORBYN  (springing  to  his  feet  ^  radiant). 
Ah,  I  knew  it !     Dear,  innocent  little  creature.     I 
knew  it,  I  knew  it  all  along ! 

LASCELLES  (astonished). 
Knew  what  ? 

ST.  ORBYN. 

My  dear  fellow,  if  she  had  not  been  innocent,  she 
would  have  insisted  on  nothing  but  explanations  for 
the  rest  of  your  life  and  mine !  .  .  .  Good-night ! 
(Advances  to  door.) 

LASCELLES. 

What !    Are  you  going  ? 

ST.  ORBYN. 

Going  !  I  should  think  so.  I  am  going  after  her. 
(Goes  to  door.,  hut  comes  back  again.)  Are  the  lights  still 
burning  over  the  way  ? 

LASCELLES  {going  to  window  and  opening  it). 
Yes.     The  ball  is  in  full  swing.     Can't  you  hear 
"  The  Jewel  of  Asia  "  ? 

ST.   ORBYN. 

Thank  Heaven!  (Goes  out  and  comes  hack.)  Lascelles! 

LASCELLES. 

What? 


138  THE   AMBASSADOR  [Act  III 

ST.  ORBYN. 

Is  n't  she  a  dream  ?     (^Disappears.) 

LASCELLES. 

What  is  happening  to  the  world  !  One  would  think 
you  were  a  boy  out  of  school ! 

ST.  ORBYN  {coming  back), 
I  will  tell  you  all  about  it  to-morrow.     (Going.) 

LASCELLES. 

You  will  be  late  if  you  don't  hurry. 

ST.  ORBYN  {opening  door). 
Not  I  !    {Starts  back.)    Good  Heavens  !    No  wonder 
I  could  not  cross  the  threshold,     {Stoops  and  picks  up 
something.) 

LASCELLES. 

What  is  the  matter  ? 

ST.  ORBYN. 

A  rosette  from  her  shoe  !  The  darling  rosette  from 
her  precious  shoe  !  {Kisses  it,  then  to  Lascelles.)  You 
dull,  moping  dog,  jealous.   .  .   . 

(^Loud  laughter  from  billiard-room,  and  all  the  guests  rush 
in,  followed  by  Mrs.  Taylorson.) 


Scene  i]         THE   AMBASSADOR  139 

YOLANDE. 

Your  Excellency  must  not  leave  us ! 

ST.  ORBYN. 

(^Thrusting  hand  with  rosette  into  breast^  and  bowing  low.) 
I  go,  dear  lady,  because  I  dare  not  stay. 

YOLANDE. 

But  the  fun  .  .  .  the  fun  is  Just  beginning! 

ST.    ORBYN. 

Dear  lady,  no  doubt !  But  I  seek  the  nightingale, 
and  not  the  lark  !  (Kisses  his  hand  and  goes  out,  leaving 
the  guests  dancing.) 


End  of  Third  Act 


THE   FOURTH   ACT 

Scene  :  The  garden  outside  dra'wing-room  at  Lady  Beau- 
VEDERE's.  //  is  planted  in  the  Italian  style  nuith  parterres, 
gra'vel  nualks,  statuary,  and  a  feixj  acacia-trees.  The  danun 
is  just  appearing  in  the  sky,  and  a  feiu  stars  are  still  to  be 
seen.  Lights  are  luithin  the  house,  and  the  garden  is  mod- 
erately illuminated.  The  hour  is  4  a.m.  As  the  curtain 
rises  Vivian  is  ^watching  at  the  garden  gate  in  great  anxiety. 
He  looks  at  his  ivatch. 

VIVIAN. 

Will  she  never  come  ?  What  has  happened  ?  How 
late  it  is  !  She  will  be  missed  to  a  dead  certainty.  .  .  . 
She  will  be  missed. 

{At  this  moment  Gwendolene  and  Sir  William  ap- 
pear on  the  wide  step  with  balcony  rail  which  leads 
from  the  conservatory  into  the  garden.  ViVlAN  retires 
into  the  house  unobserved.) 

GWENDOLENE. 

How  sweet  it  is  out  here ! 

SIR   WILLIAM. 

Yes,  and  I  hope  not  damp. 


Scene  i]        THE    AMBASSADOR  141 

GWENDOLENE. 

I  hope,  as  you  say,  not  damp. 

SIR   WILLIAM. 

Gwen,  why  do  you  no  longer  wear  the  brooch  I 
gave  you  ? 

GWENDOLENE  (hanging  her  head). 

I  thought  I  needed  ...  no  further  reminder  of  our 
...  of  our  friendship. 

SIR   WILLIAM. 

Don't    say  that!      We    must    always    be    friends, 
Gwen. 

GWENDOLENE. 

In  time  we  may  be,  but,  just  now  ...  it  is  too  hard. 

SIR    WILLIAM, 

You  are  awfully  fond  of  me,  are  n't  you,  Gwen  ? 

GWENDOLENE. 

Is  this  right,  Bill  —  is  this  kind? 

SIR  WILLIAM. 

Would  I  ask  it  if  I  entertained  the  smallest  doubt 
as  to  its  propriety  ? 


142  THE   AMBASSADOR         [Act  IV 

GWENDOLENE. 

I  ...  I  suppose  not. 

(Sir  William  leads  Gwendolene  to  seat  and  then 
stands  by  her.^ 

SIR   WILLIAM. 

Gwen,  Juliet  has  given  me  back  my  freedom.  I 
have  been  free  without  knowing  it  for  very  nearly 
five  days.  I  could  not  in  the  circumstances  ask 
her  to  reconsider  the  matter.  She  never  loved  me  .  .  . 
at  least  as  you  do  ! 

GWENDOLENE. 

Oh,  Bill ! 

SIR  WILLIAM  {seating  himself  by  her). 

Gwen,  perhaps  in  two  ...  or  three  .  .  .  possibly 
four  years'  time  we  may  marry,  you  and  I,  and  gather 
a  circle  of  the  very  nicest  people  round  us,  and  exer- 
cise the  best  influence  upon  Society. 

GWENDOLENE. 

What  happiness,  dearest  Bill ! 

SIR    WILLIAM. 

It  ought  to  be  ...  I  think  it  will  be. 


Scene  i]        THE   AMBASSADOR  143 

GWENDOLENE. 

And  shall  we  go  to  Italy  for  our  honeymoon  ? 

SIR  WILLIAM. 

Most  probably.  One  soon  gets  tired  of  a  place  that 
is  merely  climate !  One  wants  something  to  look  at 
...  to  keep  one  interested,  and  all  that  .  .  .  (^Feeling 
the  arm  of  the  seat.)     Is  the  dew  falling  ?     (Rises.) 

GWENDOLENE  (rises). 
Won't  you  kiss  me,  Bill  ? 

SIR  WILLIAM  (approaching  her). 

I  thought  I  did.  (Kisses  her  cheek  and  walks  up  C, 
leaving  her.) 

GWENDOLENE  {after  a  pause). 
Yes,  it  does  seem  rather  chilly.     Shall  we  go  in  ? 

SIR    WILLIAM. 

You  know  we  are  such  friends,  dear  Gwen,  that 
you  would  not  expect  raptures^  would  you  ? 

GWENDOLENE. 

No  .  .  .  no  .  .  .  not  exactly  raptures ! 


144  THE   AMBASSADOR         [Act  IV 

SIR  WILLIAM. 

It  is  much  more  sensible,  really,  not  to  want  you 
to  catch  cold. 

GWENDOLENE. 

(TValks  up  to  him  and  looks  into  his  face ^ 

It  must  have  been  on  such  a  night  as  this  when 
Romeo  climbed  the  wall  of  Juliet's  garden.  Oh, 
Bill,  you  do  like  me  a  little,  don't  you  ?  People  seem 
to  think  we  are  such  icebergs ! 

SIR   WILLIAM. 

That's  because  people  are  fools.  (IVith  sudden  and 
genuine  feelings  embracing  her.')  I  am  simply  awfully 
fond  of  you.  (^Kisses  her.)  There,  will  that  satisfy 
you  ? 

GWENDOLENE. 

Oh,  quite ! 

SIR   WILLIAM. 

Shall  we  go  in  ? 
(They  go  in.    Vivian  comes  out  again  from  the  shadow.^ 

VIVIAN. 

Will  she  never  come  ?  I  hope  there  has  been  no 
mistake.     Lascelles  has  just  opened  his  window.  .  .  . 


Scene  i]        THE   AMBASSADOR  145 

I  believe  he  is  there.  What  on  earth  has  happened  ? 
.  .  .  {Rattle  of  key  heard  in  the  door.)  At  last !  {He 
rushes  forward  as  door  is  opened  and  Lady  Beauve- 
DERE  enters  followed  by  Juliet.  Vivian  falls  back  in 
astonishment.     To  Lady  Beauvedere.)     You! 

LADY  beauvedere. 

{Smiling  with  a  strong  effort^ 

Did  I  startle  you,  darling  ?  Juliet  and  I  have  just 
been  out  for  a  little  air.  It  seems  so  veiy  close  this 
evening.     Surely  we  have  not  been  long  ? 

VIVIAN  {stammering). 

I  .  .  .  I  .  .  .  don't  know  ...  I  should  say  .  .  .  no. 
Why? 

LADY  beauvedere. 

{Handing  him  her  scarf.) 

Put  my  scarf  over  there.  I  don't  need  it.  {He 
takes  scarf  and  places  it  on  seat  L.  While  he  crosses  the 
stage  Lady  Beauvedere  addresses  Juliet.)  For  your 
own  sake,  say  nothing.  I  will  not  betray  you.  You 
may  trust  me.  I  have  given  you  my  word. 
(Juliet  merely  inclines  her  head.  Enter  Sir  Charles 
De  Lorme  from  house.) 


146  THE   AMBASSADOR        [Act  IV 

SIR  CHARLES. 

Ah,  Lady  Beauvedere,  I  have  been  seeking  you.  .  .  . 

LADY  BEAUVEDERE. 

How  wrong  of  me !  I  stole  out  into  the  garden. 
These  April  nights  are  so  delicious  ! 

SIR  CHARLES. 

Alas!  I  have  not  got  an  April  chest!  I  cannot 
take  these  enjoyments.  But,  they  are  forming  a  co- 
tillon :  I  believe  they  wait  for  us. 

LADY  BEAUVEDERE. 

Then  let  us  go  at  once. 

(They  go  into  house.) 

VIVIAN. 

(^Comes  up  to  Juliet  when  his  mother  has  gone.    Juliet 
is  standing  motionless^  looking  on  the  ground.) 
Is  it  all  right  ? 

JULIET. 

(r.  c.      Sitting  down ;  mechanically.) 
Yes  ...  all  right.   .  .  .   He  gave  it  me. 

VIVIAN. 

What,  the  cheque  ?  (Juliet  merely  bows  her  head.) 
Thank  God !      Oh,   Juliet,   I    have    been  mad.       I 


ScKNE  i]         THE   AMBASSADOR  147 

have   been  half  dead  with  anxiety.    Why  were    you 
so  long? 

JULIET. 

Yes  ...  it  must  have  seemed  ...  a  long  while. 

VIVIAN. 

Was  he  disagreeable  ? 

JULIET. 

Oh  no.   .  .   .   He  was  very  kind. 

VIVIAN. 

How  did  you  meet  my  mother?     What  an  escape  ! 

JULIET. 

I  did  n't  escape. 

VIVIAN. 

What  do  you  mean  ? 

JULIET. 

I  did  n't  escape,  Vivian.     She  must  have  seen  me 
go,  or,  some  one  told  her.     She  followed  me. 

VIVIAN. 

Where  ? 

JULIET. 

Into  the  house.   .   .   .   Into  the  very  room. 


148  THE   AMBASSADOR         [Act  IV 

VIVIAN  {horrified). 
Into  the  very  room.  .  .  .  Then  .  .  .  she  knows  .  .  . 

JULIET. 

She  knows  nothing. 

VIVIAN. 

But  what  excuse  did  you  make  ? 

JULIET. 

None. 

VIVIAN. 

That  must  have  been  devilish  awkward ! 

JULIET, 

Yes,  it  was  .  .  .  awkward. 

VIVIAN. 

What  does  she  think  ? 

JULIET  {in  tears). 
Don't  ask  me.     I  have  done  all  that  was  possible 
for  both  of  you.     Be  satisfied. 

VIVIAN. 

Mama  is  not  easily  satisfied.    She  would  think,  you 
know,  all  sorts  of  things. 


Scene  i]        THE    AMBASSADOR  149 

JULIET. 

Oh,  leave  me  .  .  .  leave  me  alone.  I  cannot  tell 
you  any  more.  I  have  tried  to  love  an  enemy  .  .  . 
now  let  me  pay  the  price,  without  a  regret,  do  you 
understand,  without  a  single  regret.  I  want  to  feel 
that  I  should  do  it  all  again,  willingly,  and  that  is  n't 
easy.     Don't  ask  me  any  more. 

{Enter  Lord  Lavensthorpe,  a  pale^  insipid  young  man 
with  a  silly  smile.) 

LORD    lavensthorpe. 

Really,  Miss  Gainsborough,  I  have  been  looking  for 
you  everywhere.  You  promised  to  go  in  to  supper 
with  me.     Have  you  forgotten  ? 

JULIET  {rising). 

Oh  no.  I  was  just  hoping  you  had  forgotten  {per- 
ceiving her  mistake)  ...   I  mean   .   .   . 

lavensthorpe. 
Yes,  what  did  you  mean  ? 

JULIET. 

Oh,  I  was  afraid  that  you  would  get  so  hungry — > 
that 's  all.      {She  goes  out  on  Lavensthorpe's  arm.) 


150  THE   AMBASSADOR         [Act  IV 

VIVIAN  {clenching  his  hands). 
Oh,  I  can't  have  this.  It 's  too  cowardly.  I  would 
sooner  make  a  clean  breast  of  the  whole  thing  —  I 
can't  have  a  girl  suffer  all  this  just  because  I  have  been 
such  a  fool.  {Garden  door  opens.)  Who  is  that?  {He 
retires  L.) 

{Enter  St.  Orbyn,  with  a  quick  step,  humming  a 
lively  air.) 

ST.  ORBYN. 

Hullo  !     Is  that  Vivian  ? 

VIVIAN  {coming  forward). 
Yes,  I  .  .  .  I  .  .  .  Oh,  Lord  St.  Orbyn,  I  am  so 
beastly  miserable. 

ST.  ORBYN. 

Why  ?  What  is  the  matter  ?  Come  to  the  light. 
{Studies  his  face.)  This  won't  do.  Are  you  in  love  ? 
Are  you  jealous  ?  or,  what  is  a  far  more  serious  thing, 
is  she  jealous  ? 

VIVIAN. 

Oh,  it 's  nothing  pleasant  like  that !  I  have  got 
Juliet  into  an  awful  scrape. 

ST.  ORBYN. 

Juliet !      How  can  this  be  ? 


Scene  i]        THE    AMBASSADOR  151 

VIVIAN 

She  is  the  most  splendid  brick  of  a  girl  I  have  ever 
heard  of. 

ST.   ORBYN. 

What  has  she  done  ? 

VIVIAN. 

She  went  to  Lascelles  to  get  me  out  of  a  .  .  .  devil 
of  a  hole.  And  Mama  followed  her  there,  and  Juliet 
never  explained  ! 

ST.  ORBYN. 

Yes,  yes,  but  you  can  explain  !  What  is  it  ?  Make 
haste !  Don't  try  to  talk  well  — just  splutter  it 
out  anyhow :  When  a  man  has  facts  he  need  n't 
be  clever. 

VIVIAN. 

Mama,  you  know,  hates  Lascelles,  and  I  have  been 
playing  cards  with  him  .  .   .  and  .  .   . 

ST.  ORBYN  (smoothly). 
At  first  you  won,  and  then  you  lost,  and  then  you 
could  not  pay  your  losses  with  perfect  convenience  at 
that  particular  moment !    That 's  simple  enough.    (He 
puts  his  hat  on  a  chair ^     And  then  ? 

VIVIAN. 

I  got  over-excited. 


152  THE   AMBASSADOR        [Act  IV 

ST.  ORBYN. 

Most  natural  thing  in  the  world  ! 

VIVIAN  {eagerly). 

Yes,  you  know  how  it  is.  I  had  always  heard  what 
a  frightful  disgrace  it  was  not  to  pay  debts  of  honour, 
and  so  .  .  . 

ST.  ORBYN. 

You  adopted  certain  measures  .  .  . 

VIVIAN. 

Yes  .  .  .  but  .  .  . 

ST.  ORBYN  (^kindly). 

Somehow  you  feel  that  you  can  never  again  be  so 
happy  as  you  were  before. 

VIVIAN  {half  in  tears). 
It  was  all  that  rotten  cheque. 

ST.  ORBYN. 

Cheque  belonging  to  the  family,  I  suppose  ? 

VIVIAN. 

Ye  ...  s  ...  by  way  of  being  a  family  cheque. 


Scene  i]        THE  AMBASSADOR  153 

ST.  ORBYN. 

And  you  put  ...  a  sort  of  family  name  on  the 
back  ? 

VIVIAN. 

Yes,  but  I  knew  it  was  not  the  sort  of  thing  that 
fellows  do  ...  as  a  rule. 

ST.  ORBYN. 

Not  as  a  rule !  But  it  is  done.  It  may  be  rather 
distinguished  and  out  of  the  way.  One  should  n't  do 
it  again.     But,  what  is  the  rest  ? 

VIVIAN. 

Juliet  got  it  for  me  .  .  .  the  cheque,  I  mean. 
Lascelles  gave  it  to  her.    Awfully  decent  of  Lascelles. 

ST.  ORBYN. 

Where  is  it  now  ? 

VIVIAN. 

Here  is  the  beastly  thing. 

ST.  ORBYN. 

Give  it  to  me.  (Vivian  does  so.  St.  Orbyn  looks 
at  it^  tears  off  the  endorsed  half,,  and  hums  it  with  a 
match^  sitting  on  seat.)  Well,  go  on.  What  else  hap- 
pened ? 


154  THE   AMBASSADOR         [Act  IV 

VIVIAN. 

Well,  of  course  when  Mama  came  bouncing  in 
Juliet  could  not  explain  why  she  was  at  Lascelles', 
because  she  wouldn't  give  me  away  !  And  so  .  .  .  and 
so,  poor  Juliet  is  quite  misunderstood.  Mama  is  such 
a  stickler  for  etiquette  and  chaperons,  and  all  that  rot ! 

ST.  ORBYN. 

What  do  you  propose  to  do  ? 

VIVIAN. 

Oh,  I  must  see  Mama  and  put  it  all  square.  I 
can't  have  a  girl  suffer  on  my  account.  That 's  play- 
ing very  low  down. 

ST.  ORBYN  (rising  and  moving  towards  vivian). 
My  boy,  leave  all  this  to  me.     Say  nothing,  and   I 
promise  you  that  no  harm  will  come  to  any  one.    Let 
me  see  your  mother,  and   I   will  make  the  thing  look 
as  well  ...  as  such  a  thing  can  look  ! 

VIVIAN. 

Oh,  you  are  good. 

ST.  ORBYN. 

One  word.  Remember  the  words  of  the  poet : 
"  Oh,  Nemesis,  let  me  never  crave  anything  so  wildly 


Scene  i]        THE   AMBASSADOR  155 

that  I  would  desire  to  seize  it  from  its  legitimate  pos- 
sessor." Recollect  this  always,  and  then  you  will 
find  existence  most  enjoyable.  Whenever  we  meet, 
let  us  remind  each  other  of  this.  Go  back  to  your 
dancing  .  .  .  and  don't  be  wretched  any  more.  Every- 
body always  forgets  .  .  .  everything.  I  usually  do 
myself.  In  fact,  it  is  one  of  my  rules.  The  only 
one  I  ever  keep.  Go  back  to  your  dancing.  (^Crosses 
garden. y 

VIVIAN. 

I  say,  you  are,  you  know,  the  most  awfully  under- 
standing person  I  've  ever  met ! 

ST.  ORBYN. 

That  will  do  .  .  .  that 's  all  right. 

VIVIAN. 

I  know  what  you  think  of  me,  you  know. 

ST.    ORBYN. 

I  never  think   about   anybody.     I  merely  look  at 
'em  and  make  up  my  mind. 

VIVIAN. 

Well,  don't  make  up  your  mind  about  me  just  yet. 


156  THE  AMBASSADOR        [Act  IV 

ST.  ORBYN. 

Well,  we  '11  put  it  this  way  —  I  have  n't  changed 
my  mind  about  you. 

VIVIAN. 

Thanks  1  {Seizes  his  hand.)  I  shall  find  Juliet, 
and  tell  her  you  know  everything  —  that  you  are 
simply  the  most  splendid  friend.  .  .  .  {Goes  out  with  a 
smothered  sob^  blowing  his  nose  violently.) 

ST.  ORBYN  {taking  the  rosette  from  his  pocket  and  kissing  it). 

A  plus  b  plus  X  minus  x.  What  is  to  be  done  — 
what  is  to  be  done  with  that  odious  minus  x  ? 

(Lady  Beauvedere  appears  on  the  steps  and  mov- 
ing L.,  calls.) 

lady  beauvedere. 
Is  Juliet  there  ?     Is  Bill  there  ? 

ST.  ORBYN. 

Ah,  my  dear  Geraldine,  do  come  out.  This  is  en- 
chanting. Byron  was  quite  wrong  when  he  said  that 
the  early  dawn  did  not  suit  women.  I  have  never 
seen  you  looking  better. 

LADY  beauvedere. 

I  am  not  well.  {She  comes  down  the  steps.)  I  am 
dreadfully  tired. 


Scene  i]        THE    AMBASSADOR  157 

ST.  ORBYN. 

Come,  put  this  round  you  (tahs  up  scarf  Vivian 
left  on  seat),  and  sit  down  here  with  me.  (She  sits 
down.)  But,  before  we  begin  to  talk  nicely,  and 
before  I  forget  it,  do  you  see  this  ?  (Holds  up  half 
of  the  cheque.) 

LADY  BEAUVEDERE. 

Good  gracious  !  (Taking  cheque.)  Where  did  you 
find  that  ? 

ST.  ORBYN. 

In  the  oddest  way.  You  remember  the  day  I 
wrote,  against   my  judgment,  at  your  desk  ? 

LADY  BEAUVEDERE. 

Perfectly ! 

ST.   ORBYN. 

Well,  among  other  strange  possibilities,  that  may 
have  been  caught  up  among  my  papers  !  At  any 
rate,  there  it  is,  and  I  have  not  the  smallest  doubt 
that  I  have  destroyed  the  other  half! 

LADY  BEAUVEDERE. 

How  amusing !  I  did  miss  it,  as  a  matter  of  fact, 
and  I  was  a  little  anxious.  .  .  .  Such  an  awkward 
thing  to  speak  about ! 


158  THE   AMBASSADOR         [Act  IV 

ST.  ORBYN. 

And  now,  what  a  charming  ball  this  has  been  ! 

LADY  BEAUVEDERE. 

I  am  glad  you  think  so. 

ST.  ORBYN. 

I  have  never  enjoyed  myself  so  much  before.  But, 
wait,  I  knew  there  was  something  else.  {Walks  to  r. 
of  seat.)     I  have  a  little  message  for  you  from  Vivian. 

LADY  BEAUVEDERE  {frightened). 
Vivian  !     What  can  it  be  ? 

ST.  ORBYN. 

My  dear  Geraldine,  a  trifle  to  us,  but  to  these  chil- 
dren a  great  affair. 

LADY  BEAUVEDERE. 

Oh,  Bertie,  he  does  not  want  to  marry  anybody, 
does  he  ? 

ST.  ORBYN. 

Gently,  gently.  You  are  still  a  girl  in  your  emo- 
tions. You  are  always  in  a  nervous  flutter  about 
some  one  marrying  or  not  marrying. 


Scene  i]         THE   AMBASSADOR  159 

LADY  BEAUVEDERE. 

But  SO  many  trying  things  have  happened  this  even- 
ing, I  am  quite  unstrung. 

ST.   ORBYN. 

Well,  listen  to  me  and  I  may  account  for  some  of 
these  mysteries.  It  seems  there  has  been  a  little  mis- 
understanding between  Vivian  and  Lascelles.  You 
know  the  sort  of  heady,  absurd  .  .  . 

LADY  BEAUVEDERE. 

Yes,  yes.     Dear  Vivian  is  so  impulsive. 

ST.  ORBYN. 

Precisely.  He  is  too  impulsive.  Without  going  into 
the  merits  of  the  case  .  .  .  (watching  her  closely)  .  .  . 
it  might  have  led,  managed,  to  a  duel ! 

LADY  BEAUVEDERE. 

Oh,  heavens ! 

ST.  ORBYN. 

The  matter  came  to  Miss  Gainsborough's  ears. 
Her  first  thought  was,  naturally,  for  you,:  .she  offered 
to  intercede,  to  make  peace. 

LADY    BEAUVEDERE. 

Noble-hearted  girl ! 


i6o  THE   AMBASSADOR         [Act  IV 

ST.  ORBYN. 

She  went  to  Lascelles.  She  pleaded  her  cause, 
effected  a  reconciliation,  was  about  to  return  with  her 
good  news  to  Vivian,  when  .  .  .  perhaps  you  know 
the  rest.  .  .  . 

LADY  BEAUVEDERE. 

Oh,  how  wrong  I  have  been,  how  unjust !  (Rises.) 
But  I  trusted  her,  I  told  her  so,  I  did,  really.  And  she 
did  it  all  to  save  me !  Oh,  Bertie,  where  is  she  ?  Let 
me  thank  her  on  my  knees.    (Looking  vaguely  round.') 

ST.  ORBYN. 

Yes ;  she  is  worth  it. 

LADY  BEAUVEDERE. 

And  now,  just  as  I  was  beginning  to  appreciate  her, 
and  understand  her,  and  love  her :  it  is  all  too  late  .  .  . 
too  late.  What  a  world  it  is !  I  am  so  vexed,  so 
dreadfully  vexed. 

ST.  ORBYN. 

Vexed  ?     Why  ? 

LADY  BEAUVEDERE. 

She  has  broken  off  her  engagement  with  Bill. 


Scene  i]         THE   AMBASSADOR  i6i 

ST.  ORBYN. 

'yntrolling  his  astonishment^  rises,  walks  L.  a  little,  then 
speaks.^ 

But,  you  know,  I  rather  expected  that ! 

LADY  BEAUVEDERE. 

She  wrote  to  him,  it  seems,  the  very  day  we  were 
all  saying  horrid  things  about  her.  (Rises  and  crosses 
to  him.)  Dear  Bertie,  you  are  so  clever.  Let  us  do 
our  utmost  to  bring  these  two  together  again. 

ST.  ORBYN. 

Bring  them  together  again  ! 

LADY  BEAUVEDERE. 

Yes,  it  may  be  a  mere  lover's  tiff.  Make  peace  be- 
tween them.   You  manage  these  things  so  wonderfully. 

ST.  ORBYN. 

Geraldine,  I  will  be  frank  with  you.  I  cannot  dis- 
semble, as  you  know. 

LADY    BEAUVEDERE. 

I  do  indeed.  I  always  feel  I  can  read  you  like  a 
book ! 


i62  THE   AMBASSADOR         [Act  IV 

ST.  ORBYN  {a  little  sorry  for  her). 

Y  ...  e  ...  s  ...  of  course  !  But,  to  be  hon- 
est, I  would  do  anything  to  further  your  happiness, 
yet,  in  this  instance,  I  must  think  of  my  own. 

(Lady  Beauvedere  reseats  herself.) 

ST.   ORBYN. 

The  fact  is,  there  is  an  obstacle,  —  an  unsurmount- 
able  obstacle. 

LADY    BEAUVEDERE. 

What  is  that,  pray  ? 

ST,  ORBYN. 

There 's  another  man.     {Sits  by  her  side.) 

LADY  BEAUVEDERE. 

(^As  though  a  sudden  suspicion  had  struck  her.) 
Oh,  surely  not. 

ST.  ORBYN. 

There  is.  I  can  deal  with  any  other  fellow,  but 
this  particular  one  is  the  plague  of  my  life.  The 
trouble  he  has  given  me  from  time  to  time  is  past  be- 
lief. {Sits  on  her  R.)  Yet  I  have  a  sort  of  liking  for 
him  too !  I  feel  bound  to  say  he  would  make  Juliet 
the  best  of  husbands ! 


Scene  i]         THE    AMBASSADOR  163 

LADY    BEAUVEDERE. 

(JStill  struggling  with  suspicion.') 
Who  is  the  person  ?     I  don't  know  him. 

ST.    ORBYN. 

Yes,  you  do,  Geraldine.  I  may  know  him  better, 
perhaps,  but  you  know  him  well  enough. 

LADY   BEAUVEDERE. 

You  say  he  is  in  love  with  Juliet  ? 

ST.  ORBYN. 

He  is  crazy  about  her,  absolutely  crazy.  And  the 
man  who  thinks  of  a  wife,  you  know,  is  a  very  strict 
observer. 

LADY   BEAUVEDERE. 

You  cannot  mean   .   .   .  (The  birds  begin  to  twitter.^ 

ST.  ORBYN. 

Yes,  I  do,  Geraldine.  (Rises.)  I  don't  sleep,  I  don't 
eat,  I  can't  think,  my  ears  ring,  my  heart  dances.  I 
was  never  so  ill,  so  ridiculous,  or  so  utterly  happy  in 
all  my  life !     When  I  met  her  .  .  . 

LADY  BEAUVEDERE. 

Do  you  mean  Juliet  ? 


i64  THE  AMBASSADOR         [Act  IV 

ST.  ORBYN. 

Yes,  when  I  first  met  her  here,  ten  days  ago,  I 
was  just  verging  on  that  mood  when  life  seems  to 
have  shown  one  all  its  prizes  —  and  none  of  them 
appear  worth  while.  Do  you  know  that  state  of 
mind  ? 

LADY  BEAUVEDERE   {sighing). 

Oh  yes. 

ST.  ORBYN. 

Love  is  the  only  thing,  Geraldine!  When  I  say 
love,  I  don't  mean  all  this  nonsense  about  sighing  and 
dying,  wild  kisses,  sobs  and  throbs!  I  mean  affec- 
tion, devotion,  a  deep,  unwavering  trust,  I  mean  .  .  . 

LADY  BEAUVEDERE  {rising  and  crossing  to  him). 
You  mean  in  fact  what  every  bachelor  means  when 
he  grows  weary  of  flirtation,  and  wants  to  marry  some 
pretty  young  woman  who  knows  nothing  about  him. 
Men,  I  believe,  to  be  truly  happy  must  have,  at 
least,  one  simple  heart,  which  they  can  always  im- 
pose upon.  This  process  they  call  trust  and  sympathy  ! 
Sir,  you  are  all  born  impostors ! 

ST.  ORBYN. 

It  is  because  you  have  these  views  of  us  that  I 
have  never  had  the  smallest  wish  to  deceive  you ! 


Scene  i]         THE   AMBASSADOR  165 

LADY  BEAUVEDERE. 

To  think  that  you  love  Juliet !  .  .  .  Oh,  how  do 
these  things  happen  ? 

ST.  ORBYN. 

Well,  say  it 's  a  fine  day  in  spring.  You  suggest 
a  walk.  .  .  . 

LADY   BEAUVEDERE. 

Alone  ? 

ST.  ORBYN. 

Of  course  not.  .  .  .  Say  she's  pretty — say  that 
you  find  yourself  wishing  that  she  would  look  you 
straight  in  the  eyes  again.  .  .  . 

LADY  BEAUVEDERE  {in  a  low  voice). 
Say  she  does.  .  .  . 

ST.  ORBYN. 

Then  you  find  yourself  wishing  she  hadn't? 

LADY  BEAUVEDERE. 

But  why  ? 

ST.  ORBYN. 

Because  it 's  dangerous. 

LADY    BEAUVEDERE. 

I  don't  understand. 


1 66  THE   AMBASSADOR         [Act  IV 

ST.   ORBYN, 

I  can't  explain. 

LADY  BEAUVEDERE. 

Was  that  how  you  came  to  love  Juliet? 

ST.    ORBYN. 

No  .  .  .  that 's  how  I  came  to  love  so  many  others 
in  the  past. 

LADY  BEAUVEDERE. 

Then  where  is  the  point? 

ST.  ORBYN. 

The  point  is  —  now  that  I  have  met  Juliet  —  it 
shall  never  happen  again  ...  in  the  future. 

LADY  BEAUVEDERE. 

Hear  the  birds.  .  .  .  How  happy  they  must  be ! 
Winged  creatures  —  nearer  the  sky  than  we  are ! 
(Sighs.) 

ST.  ORBYN. 

Are  n't  you  happy,  Geraldine  ? 

LADY  BEAUVEDERE. 

Not  especially ! 

ST.  ORBYN. 

Yet,  you  are  young,  accomplished,  beautiful. 


/ 


Scene  i]         THE    AMBASSADOR  167 


LADY  BEAUVEDERE. 

Bah !      I  'd  rather  look  old  and  ugly  to  some  pur- 
pose than  be  as  I  am  —  in  vain  ! 

ST.  ORBYN. 

In  vain ! 

LADY  BEAUVEDERE  (^passionately). 

Yes  !    In  vain  !    Beauty  in  some  cases  is  a  humilia- 
tion —  nothing  more. 

ST.  ORBYN. 

This  from  a  woman  with  the  w^orld  at  her  feet! 

LADY  BEAUVEDERE. 

I  prefer  a   friend    for   my  heart.      (Gives  him  her 
hand.\ 

ST.  ORBYN. 

But  you  have  got  friends.     /  am  one  of  'em ! 

LADY  BEAUVEDERE. 

You !     What  is  it  to  you  whether  I  'm  lovely  or 
hideous  ? 

ST.  ORBYN. 

Nothing.'      I  think  only  of  your  soul ! 


1 68  THE   AMBASSADOR         [Act  IV 

LADY  BEAUVEDERE. 

{^Releasing  his  hand  and  looking  indignant?) 
There!    I  knew  it.     {^Changes  her  tone  to  laughter.^ 
How  droll ! 

ST.  ORBYN. 

Sometimes  I  believe  you  wish  you  had  n't  got  a  soul ! 

LADY   BEAUVEDERE. 

Oh,  I   like  my  soul  well  enough,  but  —  it   never 
seems  to  belong  to  me  —  to  be  w^  .  .  .  myself.    Now 
my  face  is  me.  ...  do  you  understand  ? 
(Princess  Vendramini  appears  on  step  above  them.^ 

VENDRAMINI. 

Goodbye,  dear  Lady  Beauvedere.     I  must  be  going. 

LADY  BEAUVEDERE   {dazed). 

What !  so  early  ? 

VENDRAMINI. 

It  is  four  o'clock  now,  and  in  a  few  hours'  time  I 
leave  Paris  for  Constantinople.  (To  St.  Orbyn.) 
Shall  we  say,  Au  re  voir? 

ST.  ORBYN  (^kissing  her  hand). 
Oh,  Princess,  we  always  meet  too  late,  and  part  too 
soon. 


Scene  i]        THE   AMBASSADOR  169 

VENDRAMINI. 

(/«  a  low  voice  inaudible  to  Lady  Beauvedere.) 
Oh,  Albert,  to  think  you  have  preferred  that  little 

girl  to  me  .  .  .  to  me  !     We  two  together  could  have 

ruled  the  destinies  of  Europe ! 

ST.  ORBYN  (kissing  her  hand  again). 
Only  we  did  n't  want  to  rule  'em,  did  we  ?    Europe 
is  becoming  such  a  bore  ! 

(Princess  Vendramini  crosses  to  Lady  Beauvedere. 
Juliet's  laughter  is  heard  within.  She  appears  with 
Lavensthorpe.  They  stand  to  admire  the  sunrise. 
Other  couples  also  come  out^  and  scatter  behind  the 
various  bushes.) 

JULIET  {to  lavensthorpe). 

Is  n't  it  pretty  where  the  light  strikes  the   trees  ? 
There  is  just  one  star  left ;    do  you  see  ? 

lavensthorpe. 
No. 

JULIET. 

Then  come  this  way.     {She  comes  down  and  crosses 
stage  with  Lavensthorpe.) 

(St.  Orbyn  watches  her  as  if  fascinated^  and  is  about 
to  follow.) 


I70  THE   AMBASSADOR         [Act  IV 

LADY  BEAUVEDERE  {calling). 

Bertie ! 

ST.  ORBYN. 

Did  you  call? 

LADY   BEAUVEDERE. 

Will  you  take  Rosamund  to  her  carriage  ? 

(St.  Orbyn  conceals  his  chagrin^  offers  his  arm  to  the 
Princess,  and  they  go  out.  Lady  Beauvedere 
watches  them  till  they  are  out  of  sight^  then  she  sits 
down  and  rests  her  face  on  her  hand^  seeming  lost  in 
thought^ 

JULIET. 

Leave  me  here  with  Lady  Beauvedere.  I  am 
afraid  she  is  very  tired. 

(Lavensthorpe  bows  and  leaves  her.) 

JULIET  {coming  down  timidly). 
Are  you  tired  ?     {Kneels  at  her  feet.) 

LADY  beauvedere  {rousing  herself). 

Is  that  you,  Juliet  ?  I  can't  say  much.  .  .  .  Lord 
St.  Orbyn  has  told  me  everything  about  Vivian  .  .  . 
and  .  .  .  you  behaved  very  nobly.  I  want  you  to 
.   .   .   forgive  me.     {Bites  her  lip.) 


Scene  i]        THE   AMBASSADOR  171 

JULIET. 

Oh,  please,  never  think  of  that  again  ! 

LADY    BEAUVEDERE. 

(jTakes  her  hands  y  looks  into  her  face.') 
You  lucky  girl ! 

JULIET  {astonished). 
Why? 

LADY    BEAUVEDERE. 

But  —  he  is  very  fickle.     I  must  say  that  —  very 
fickle. 

JULIET  (innocently). 

Do  you  mean  Bill  ? 

(St.  Orbyn  enters.) 

LADY  BEAUVEDERE  {perceiving  him). 
Bertie  {crosses  to  him\  I  w^as  just  vv^arning  her  that  a 
man  we  all  know  is  fickle,  and  she  asks — Do  I  mean 
Bill  ?  {She  joins  their  hands.)  Will  you  tell  her  who 
I  mean  ?  {She  laughs  and  goes  up  steps  into  house. 
When  she  is  out  of  their  observation.^  her  face  alters.  She 
is  in  misery.) 

(St.  Orbyn  and  Juliet  stand  hand  in  hand.,  awkwardly 
looking  at  each  other.  Sun  grows  brighter  as  dialogue 
proceeds y  the  birds  sing  softly.) 


172  THE   AMBASSADOR        [Act  IV 

JULIET  {after  a  pause). 
But  .  .  .  ought  n't  one  to  be  dancing  ? 


ST.  ORBYN, 

Not  yet  .  . 

.  .  Oh,  Juliet. 

Yes. 

JULIET. 

ST.  ORBYN. 

I  want  to  tell  you  how  much  —  but  if  I  could  say 
how  much  it  would  be  little  —  I  love  you ! 

JULIET. 

Why? 

ST.  ORBYN. 

Because  you  are  pretty  .   .   .  and  yet  that 's  not  the 
reason. 

JULIET. 

What,  then  ? 

ST.  ORBYN. 

Because  you  are  honest  .  .  .  that 's  not  the  reason 
either. 

JULIET. 

Well,  guess  again ! 

ST.  ORBYN. 

Because  .  .  .  Oh,  Juliet,  it  is  because  you  make  me 
forget  the  reasons  why  ! 


Scene  i]         THE    AMBASSADOR  173 

JULIET. 

Then  remember  the  reasons  why  not.    I  am  poor  . .  . 

ST.  ORBYN. 

So  are  the  angels. 

JULIET. 

And  then  .  .  . 

ST.  ORBYN. 

Well,  dearest  ? 

JULIET. 

.  .  .  You  make  me  forget  the  reasons  why  not ! 

ST.  ORBYN. 

Juliet !     (i/<?  moves  to  embrace  her.) 

(At  this  moment  music  is  heard  within :  last  valse  hegin- 
niyig.  Couples  emerge  from  behind  every  bush^  and  out 
of  every  corner.) 

ST.  ORBYN. 

Are  n't  we  alone  ?     (^Looking  round.) 

JULIET  (nervously). 
Ought  n't  one  to  be  dancing  ? 

End  of  the  Play 


42076 


f^n. 


A    000  833  960    8 


